Home-and-Home with Caps Begins | PREVIEW

NEW JERSEY DEVILS (13-6-0) vs WASHINGTON CAPITALS (10-6-0)

New Jersey hosts the first of a home-and-home with the Washington Capitals on Thursday night. Puck drop is 7:08 p.m. ET.

Read below for your Game Preview presented by Window Works and check back for the Morning Skate Recap.

MORNING SKATE RECAP

NEWARK, N.J. - Check back following morning skate for a full report.

THE SCOOP

Connor Hellebuyck will retake the net against the Washington Capitals on Thursday, as they prepare for a vital home-and-home with a divisional rival. The Devils are coming off a loss in Winnipeg which ended a five-game win streak.

On Wednseday evening the club made several roster moves including recalling forwards Lenni Hämeenaho and Stefan Noesen. The team also placed forward Anthony Mantha on LTIR with a throat injury, sustained on Nov. 7, when he was struck by an Adam Pelech high stick in the throat.

The club also reassigned Riley Tufte to Utica. 

The Capitals come into Thursday with a 10-6-0 record and have gone 7-3-0 in their last 10 games. Washington is on a two-game win streak after defenseman Cole Hutson scored the overtime winner in Ottawa on Tuesday night.

Alex Ovechkin announced he will be retiring after the end of this season. He has one goal through 16 games.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Devils: Jack Hughes 

Jack Hughes has been on quite the run, over the past five games the Devils star has accumulated 10 points, including three goals and seven assists. In his past 10 games, Hughes has points in nine, including two multi-goal outtings. 

Capitals: Cole Hutson

Hutson has been quite the sensation as a 20-year-old defenseman. He became the third-youngest player (20 years, 135 days) in Capitals franchise history to score an overtime goal, behind Nicklas Backstrom (20 years 0 days on Nov. 23, 2007) and Alex Ovechkin (20 years 118 days on Jan. 13, 2006). Hutson had a two-point outing in Ottawa and points in four of his past five games (3g-3a).

INJURIES

Devils:

• Anthony Mantha: throat injury, LTIR

• Seamus Casey: Injured, non-roster

Capitals:

• Rasmus Sandin: Knee, LTIR
• Vincent Desharnais: abdomen, IR
• Patrick Thomas: upper-body, injured non-roster

26-27 REGULAR-SEASON

• Oct 17 at Washington, 4-2 L
• Nov. 11 vs Washington
• Nov. 14 at Washington
• Jan. 24 vs Washington