NEW JERSEY DEVILS (35-31-2) at WASHINGTON CAPITALS (34-27-8)

New Jersey continues its five-game road trip with a stop in Washington, DC to face the Capitals. Puck drop is 7:08 p.m. ET.

Read below for your game preview presented by Protection Technologies and check back for the pre-game story.

MORNING SKATE RECAP

WASHINGTON, DC. - Check back following the Devils morning skate around 1:00 p.m. ET.

THE SCOOP

The Devils opened their five-game road trip with a 6-3 victory at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. New Jersey’s faces Washington on the second leg that includes stops in Dallas, Nashville and Carolina.

New Jersey is now 7-2-0 in its past nine games. The Devils are enjoying an offensive explosion of late. During their past nine games, New Jersey has totaled 4.11 goals per game. And they’ve scored 10 power-play goals on 24 opportunities (42%).  

The Caps head into the back half of their season-long four-game homestand on Friday night when the New Jersey Devils make their second visit of the season to DC. Washington has earned at least a point in each of the first two games of the homestand, taking a 3-2 shootout loss to the Bruins last weekend before beating the Senators by a 4-1 count on Wednesday.

Wednesday’s win still leaves the Caps with less than a 10-percent chance of slinking their way into the Stanley Cup playoffs. With just 13 games remaining on the season, the Caps will likely need to win at least nine – and likely 10 or 11 – of those games to have a viable chance of getting in.

Rookie Cole Hutson, who made his NHL debut Wednesday night, also picked up his first career NHL goal with an empty-netter. Hutson was a second-round pick (43rd overall) in 2024.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Since the Olympic break, Jack Hughes has 18 points (6g-12a) in 11 games.  That includes a hat trick and five multi-point games.

Capitals: Goalie Logan Thompson has allowed two or fewer goals against in six of his last nine starts, posting a 2.12 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage in that span.

INJURIES

Devils:
Pesce (lower-body)
Noesen (knee)
MacEwen (upper body)

Capitals:
Kampf (undisclosed)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• Nov. 15 at Washington, W 3-2 SO
• Dec. 27 vs. Washington, L 4-3 OT
• March 20 at Washington
• April 2 vs. Washington

GAME NOTES

• The Devils and Capitals meet for the third time this season. The club's split the opening two contests with both reaching extra time. 
• Since the NHL returned to action from the Olympic break, the Devils are averaging 3.55 goals-per-game, ranking 8th in the League.
• Since the break, the Devils' PP is clicking at 32.3% (10-31), ranking 2nd in the NHL.
• Washington is 7-1-1 in its last nine home games.