Kuznetsov scores twice for Capitals in win against Devils

WASHINGTON -- Evgeny Kuznetsov's second goal of the game broke a tie in the third period, and the Washington Capitals defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-3 at Capital One Arena on Thursday.

Kuznetsov's centering pass deflected off the skate of Devils defenseman Damon Severson to give the Capitals a 4-3 lead at 12:06.
After missing eight games between Jan. 20 and Feb. 13 while in NHL COVID-19 protocol, Kuznetsov has scored nine points (three goals, six assists) in his past eight games.
"I think I'm starting [to] understand more what the coach wants from me," Kuznetsov said. "After the pretty long break after COVID, [it] wasn't easy to get back in hockey shape. I hope that I'm going to continue to grow and I hope the team [is] going to play much better. We know we can be successful. I know it's nice to get a couple goals, but at the end of the day we got two points. That's all that matters now."

Alex Ovechkin scored his 721st NHL goal and had an assist, and Vitek Vanecek made 21 saves for Washington (21-7-4), which has won eight of nine.
Nicholas Merkley, Miles Wood and Jesper Bratt scored, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 18 saves for New Jersey (12-15-4), which had won four of five.
The teams complete the back-to-back set here Friday.
"Well, we've been pretty good at staying focused. Tonight was a little different story," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. "It just seemed that immediately after [you score] you're looking for momentum, you're looking for a good shift, and we didn't get that, and it ended up in the back of our net."
Bratt tied it 3-3 on a one-timer from the top of the right circle at 11:04 of the third period during a power play.
"I thought we came back and were playing hard, got the power-play goal we needed," Ruff said. "But we didn't execute our breakout, the puck stayed in the zone and they get a lucky bounce [on Kuznetsov's goal]."

Vanecek missed the puck while attempting a pass and Merkley poked it into the net to give the Devils a 1-0 lead 1:23 into the first period.
Dmitry Orlov tied it 1-1 at 3:10 when his wrist shot from just above the left circle caromed in off the far post.
"They were odd goals that they had," Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said. "Those can be deflating. And I thought our team gave a really good response right away to come back, even the score up and keep us in the game and not have that first goal turn into a second goal right away for them."
Wood gave the Devils a 2-1 lead, scoring from an angle below the right circle at 6:20 of the second period.
Ovechkin scored on a one-timer from the left circle off a pass from Daniel Sprong at 7:15 to make it 2-2. He is 10 goals behind Marcel Dionne for fifth in NHL history.
"I thought about shooting," Sprong said. "But he was on his one-timer side, and the [defense] was pretty far off him and he has an absolute missile."
Kuznetsov got the rebound of an Ovechkin shot and scored through a crowd in front of the net to give Washington a 3-2 lead at 11:47.
"The most important shifts in the game are the start of a period and after a goal. Those are two key points in a game," Wood said. "I felt like we came out flat after we scored, and it cost us a few times."
NOTES: Sprong and defenseman Justin Schultz each had two assists for the Capitals. … Washington defenseman Brenden Dillon got his 100th NHL assist. … Bratt has scored six points (two goals, four assists) in a six-game point streak. … New Jersey is 0-4-1 against Washington this season.