Final - 2OT
Capitals-Devils Preview
Feb 5, 2016 - 6:47 PM With Alex Ovechkin back in tow, the Washington Capitals appear poised to resume their winning ways.The visiting Capitals can build on their latest victory with a fifth consecutive win over the New Jersey Devils, who should have their No. 1 goaltender available Saturday.
Back from his one-game suspension for missing last weekend's All-Star festivities, Ovechkin scored the tiebreaking goal with 2:40 left in regulation to give Washington (36-9-4) a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Thursday.
''He's a goal scorer,'' said Braden Holtby, who made 24 saves in his first post-All-Star Game appearance. ''That's what we need him to do. He came through in the right time.
"That's the way our team is. Every guy has their role and everyone seems to be doing it. That's Ovi's role."
Ovechkin has three of his team-leading 29 goals in his last four contests for the NHL-leading Capitals, who avoided their first three-game slide by bouncing back from Tuesday's 5-2 defeat to Florida. Bothered by a lower-body injury, Ovechkin sat out the All-Star Game and by league rules was forced to miss one game.
He admitted being rusty in his first action since Jan. 27, but found his form when it counted.
''Practicing is one thing, but when you're playing, it's a totally different thing, a different level," he said. It was a little bit hard, but at the end, I just kept rolling and we did our job.''
The Capitals have done a fine job despite the NHL's top power-play unit going 4 for 24 over the last seven games. They scored twice on five chances in a 5-3 home win over New Jersey (26-20-6) on Oct. 10.
Keith Kinkaid made 22 saves in that contest for the Devils, and had a season-high 37 in Thursday's 3-2 shootout loss at Toronto. Kinkaid made his ninth start in place of Cory Schneider, who sat with an undisclosed injury he apparently suffered while stopping 31 shots in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Rangers.
Neither Schneider nor Devils coach John Hynes appear concerned with the injury, and the veteran netminder believes he should be ready to return for this matchup. Schneider has posted a 1.71 goals-against average while winning eight of his last 13 starts, but a 3.03 GAA during an 0-2-1 stretch against the Caps.
In pursuit of their first playoff appearance since 2011-12, the Devils blew a late 2-1 lead Thursday but managed to earn at least one point for the sixth time in seven contests.
"I think it was a valuable point to gain," Hynes said. "It was a tough, hard-fought game.
"However, we didn't necessarily play our best. We'll take it and we've got to make sure we're better going into Washington."
With a goal and an assist, veteran defenseman David Schlemko has two and four assists in five games.
Adam Henrique scored the first of his 16 goals this season against Washington but has one in the last nine.
Ovechkin has eight goals and three assists in his last 10 against New Jersey.
Though Holtby yielded three goals on 24 shots to the Devils in October, he's won four straight in the series and has a 1.29 GAA in a 6-1-0 stretch against them.
- WASHINGTON: 3
NEW JERSEY: 2
Final - 2OT
Feb 6 3:42 PM - WASHINGTON: 3
NEW JERSEY: 2
End of 2OT
Feb 6 3:42 PM - WASHINGTON: 2
NEW JERSEY: 2
End of OT
Feb 6 3:37 PM - End of 1st OT.
Feb 6 3:37 PM - WASHINGTON: 2
NEW JERSEY: 2
End of Regulation
Feb 6 3:27 PM - End of 3rd Period.
Feb 6 3:27 PM - Goal scored by Paul Carey assisted by Matt Niskanen and Brooks Laich
Capitals 2, Devils 2 3rd - 5:53Feb 6 3:15 PM - Power play - Goal scored by Joseph Blandisi assisted by Travis Zajac and Jacob Josefson
Capitals 1, Devils 1 3rd - 18:09Feb 6 3:11 PM - Goal scored by Adam Henrique assisted by Joseph Blandisi and Lee Stempniak
Capitals 1, Devils 2 3rd - 12:14Feb 6 3:02 PM - WASHINGTON: 1
NEW JERSEY: 0
End of 2nd
Feb 6 2:31 PM - End of 2nd Period.
Feb 6 2:30 PM - Goal scored by Andre Burakovsky assisted by Justin Williams and Evgeny Kuznetsov
Capitals 1, Devils 0 2nd - 7:30Feb 6 2:20 PM - End of 1st Period.
Feb 6 1:45 PM - WASHINGTON: 0
NEW JERSEY: 0
End of 1st
Feb 6 1:43 PM - Travis Zajac won faceoff against Nicklas Backstrom in neutral zone
Feb 6 1:08 PM - WASHINGTON: 0
NEW JERSEY: 0
1st Period - 20:00
Feb 6 1:08 PM
Related News
- Hämeenaho, Casey, and the 2024 World Junior Championships Open Post Dec 26
- The Continued Dominance of the United States National Team Developmental Program Dec 25
- Hockey Philippines’ March Miracle in Mongolia; Featuring a Jersey Guy Dec 25
- DitD & Open Post - 12/25/23: Merry Christmas Edition Dec 25
- Weekly Metropolitan Division Snapshot: 12/24/2023 - 12/30/2023 Dec 24
- The Clock Strikes Timo Time Twice as Devils Defeat Red Wings 3-2 Dec 23
- 2023-24 Gamethread #32: New Jersey Devils vs. Detroit Red Wings Dec 23
- The Devils Have an Inverse Offense Dec 23
- Game Preview #32: New Jersey Devils vs. Detroit Red Wings Dec 23
- Last-Minute Christmas Gift Ideas for the 2023-24 New Jersey Devils Dec 22
- DitD & Open Post - 12/22/23: Mad Online Edition Dec 22
- Devils Choke Possible Comeback in Horrific Third Period For a 6-3 Loss to Oilers Dec 21