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Coming Up Short in DC | Post-Game Report
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WHAT'S NEXT
The Devils finish off this back-to-back when they return home to face the Montreal Canadiens at Prudential Center. The game is at 7 pm and can be seen on MSG and MSG+2 or heard on the Devils Hockey Network. To get tickets, visit
NewJerseyDevils.com/tickets
.
Here are some observations from the game...
The Capitals honored Nicklas Backstrom ahead of puck drop for his 1,000th NHL point. He joined the 1,000 point club earlier this month, but tonight received a golden stick and some other gifts courtesy of the Washington Capitals organization. Prior to the game, Devils forward Jesper Bratt commented on how he grew up watching the stellar Swede play and looks up to him.
Less than four minutes into the first, Jimmy Vesey had a beautiful look on a 2-on-1, set up by Andreas Johnsson. This came just moments after the Capitals rang a shot off the post at the Devils end. Both were potentially game altering moments that went by without a goal. A similar sequence happened at 5:13 of the first with Ovechkin fanning on an open net backdoor and then Mercer setting up Sharangovich backdoor the other way. Back-and-forth action launched play in this one but no goals to show for it. In fact there were no goals at all in the first, with the Devils having the edge in shots on goal 11-7.
The scoring drought ended just 55 seconds into the second period. Jack Hughes sniped his 22nd goal of the season, assisted by Yegor Sharangovich and Dawson Mercer. The goal came after a flurry of pressure and activity in the Caps' zone.
The Capitals answered back off an odd-man rush. Tom Wilson buried a feed from Conor Sheary at 2:47 of the middle frame. That was Wilson's 20th of the year.
Damon Severson scored his 10th of the season at 7:17 of the second period, sending a slap shot through traffic and past Vitek Vancek for the go-ahead tally. Severson paces all Devils defensemen in scoring. Severson also tied for fourth all-time in franchise history for goals by a defenseman (50).
With the primary assist on Severson's goal, Graves reached a new career-high in points with his 27th point of the season.
The Caps tied things up at 2:08 of the third period with a tic-tac-toe passing play on a delayed penalty that ultimately found its way to Connor McMichael on the doorstep. He tapped home his 9th goal of the season.
On the night of his celebration, Backstrom scored a big goal for his team to put them ahead 3-2 at 6:56 of the third.
The Capitals made it a 4-2 score when Alex Ovechkin tallied his 42nd of the year, on the power play, at 11:48 of the final frame.
"We had a good second period there and going into third we were trying to get that next goal," said Severson. "Overall, I thought we played a pretty solid game. There were a couple turnovers there that hurt us on the third goal against and then Ovechkin, you can't leave him open back door."
With time dwindling down, the Devils pulled Nico Daws for the extra attacker with less than three minutes to play. Nate Bastian misfired wide on a look at the top of the crease with less than 1:30 to go. A timeout was called with 1:20 to go and Daws stayed out of the net.
With 31.9 left on the clock the Devils got within one. Hughes' shot rebounded out in front and Jesper Bratt potted it for his 22nd of the season.
New Jersey battled down to the final horn, but ultimately fell 4-3.
