Hughes has 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 18 games since helping the United States win the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Jesper Bratt had a goal and four assists, Dawson Mercer had two goals, and Nico Hischier had two assists for the Devils (39-34-2), who are 7-3-0 in their past 10. Jake Allen made 30 saves.
Tom Wilson had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (38-29-9), who had won three in a row. Logan Thompson made 22 saves.
Washington is three points behind Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings in the race for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
Cody Glass gave New Jersey a 1-0 lead on a snap shot from the slot after taking a backhand pass Lenni Hameenaho at 5:22 of the first period.
Mercer extended the lead to 2-0 when he scored on a backhand off his own rebound from the slot at 7:37.
Cole Hutson pulled Washington within 2-1 after collecting a tap-pass from Hendrix Lapierre at the Devils blue line and scoring on a wrist shot from the left hashmarks at 8:15.
Pierre-Luc Dubois made it 2-2 with a power-play goal off a scramble just outside the blue paint at 9:47.
Dougie Hamilton put the Devils back in front 3-2 on a slap shot from the point at 18:19.
Jack Hughes pushed it to 4-2, scoring on a wrist shot from the left circle off a pass from Jesper Bratt from the opposite circle at 9:10 of the second period.
Hughes made it 5-2 on a shot from the slot at 8:10 of the third period.
Wilson scored on a snap shot from the high slot to pull the Capitals within 5-3 at 9:33.
Bratt scored a power-play goal on a one-timer from the right circle at 12:16 to make it 6-3.
Mercer scored an empty-net goal, the 100th goal of his NHL career, at 17:53 for the 7-3 final.
