Pluses, minuses for Devils-Capitals

NHL Network and ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes will offer his thoughts for big games each week throughout the season.
 
The New Jersey Devils (19-14-2) play their first game of the new year when they visit the Washington Capitals (18-11-6) at Capital One Arena on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; MAX, MSGSN, TNT, TVAS). This is a big one, with the Metropolitan Division standings tight; six points separate the second-place Carolina Hurricanes (46 points) and the Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins, tied for seventh (40 points each). Washington is in fifth place with 42 points.

Here's my breakdown of the game.

Devils

Pluses: You have to start with center Jack Hughes (44 points; 15 goals, 29 assists in 30 games), on pace to top last season's point total, when he set a Devils/Colorado Rockies/Kansas City Scouts record with 99 (43 goals, 56 assists). Forward Jesper Bratt is right there with him, with 43 points (14 goals, 29 assists) in 35 games. New Jersey also has best power play in the NHL (30.3 percent). Then there's center Michael McLeod, who has flown under the radar but has the best face-off percentage in the League (66.3 percent) among players who have taken at least 100.  

Minuses: The goaltending has been shaky. Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid were a huge reason the Devils ranked eighth in the NHL in goals against per game last season (2.71), but took a step back in the playoffs and also this season, with New Jersey ranking 28th in that category (3.54). Yes, the Devils can score, but they shouldn't have to win games 5-4 and 4-3 all the time; they have to start winning some 2-1 games here. And Schmid was reassigned to Utica of the American Hockey League on Thursday, one day after Nico Daws was called up. The penalty kill is also struggling; New Jersey has gone from ranking fourth in the NHL last season (82.6 percent) to tied for 23nd this season (77.7 percent).

Capitals

Pluses: Washington has mamaged to stay competitive; after hovering near the .500 mark the first month of the season, first-year coach Spencer Carbery has steadied the ship with the Capitals having earning points in 10 of their past 13 games (6-3-4). Forward Max Pacioretty is nearing a return from his Achilles injury and will be a welcome addition to the team. He's a six-time 30-goal scorer and should only help Washington's offense, which ranks 31st in the NHL (2.34 goals per game) and had scored five goals in four games prior to a 4-3 win at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday. Alex Ovechkin has eight goals in 35 games this season but has a goal in each of his past two games and could be starting to heat up.

Minuses: Goalie Charlie Lindgren has been playing well (7-3-3, 2.27 goals-against average, .928 save percentage) but is day to day with an upper-body injury; Darcy Kuemper did his job, making 33 saves against the Penguins. The Capitals still are without forward T.J. Oshie, who has been limited to 21 games because of injuries, with two goals. Through 35 games, Washington has two players with at least 20 points -- Ovechkin and center Dylan Strome, with 22 each -- so it has been forced to rely on its depth players, who have not produced thus far this season.