DEVILS (19-14-2) at CAPITALS (18-11-6)
7:30 p.m. ET; MAX, MSGSN, TNT, TVAS
Devils projected lineup
Tyler Toffoli -- Jack Hughes -- Jesper Bratt
Ondrej Palat -- Nico Hischier -- Erik Haula
Curtis Lazar -- Michael McLeod -- Dawson Mercer
Nathan Bastian -- Chris Tierney -- Alexander Holtz
Jonas Siegenthaler -- Simon Nemec
Luke Hughes -- John Marino
Kevin Bahl -- Brendan Smith
Nico Daws
Vitek Vanecek
Scratched: Colin Miller, Graeme Clarke
Injured: Dougie Hamilton (pectoral), Tomas Nosek (foot), Timo Meier (undisclosed)
Capitals projected lineup
Alex Ovechkin – Evgeny Kuznetsov -- Tom Wilson
Aliaksei Protas -- Connor McMichael -- Anthony Mantha
Max Pacioretty -- Dylan Strome -- Hendrix Lapierre
Beck Malenstyn -- Nic Dowd -- Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Martin Fehervary -- John Carlson
Rasmus Sandin -- Ethan Bear
Trevor van Riemsdyk -- Nick Jensen
Hunter Shepard
Darcy Kuemper
Scratched: Alex Alexeyev, Hendrix Lapierre, Joel Edmundson
Injured: Sonny Milano (upper body), T.J. Oshie (lower body), Charlie Lindgren (upper body)
Status report
The Devils held an optional morning skate Wednesday. … Lazar is expected to return after missing three games because of a lower-body injury. … Clarke, a forward, was recalled from Utica of the American Hockey League on Wednesday and could make his NHL debut. … Daws is expected to start after Vanecek made 26 saves in a 5-2 loss at the Boston Bruins on Saturday. ... The Capitals did not hold a morning skate Wednesday following a 4-3 win at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday. … Pacioretty, a forward, will make his Washington and season debut after missing 35 games with a torn right Achilles tendon. ... Edmundson, a defenseman, will not play because of maintenance and be replaced by van Riemsdyk.
