Hall, Devils defeat Capitals in overtime

NEWARK, N.J. -- Taylor Hall scored 34 seconds into overtime to give the New Jersey Devils a 4-3 win against the Washington Capitals at Prudential Center on Thursday.

The Devils (24-12-8) ended a five-game losing streak (0-4-1) against the Capitals (28-14-4), including two losses this season by a combined 10-4. New Jersey moved within four points of first-place Washington in the Metropolitan Division with two games in hand.
Hall picked up a loose puck along the right-wing boards and scored the 29th game-winning goal of his NHL career, his seventh with the Devils. Hall also had an assist to extend his point streak to six games (five goals, six assists).
WATCH: [All Capitals vs. Devils highlights]
"In overtime, we're instructed to strike and create turnovers at the start of your shift since we're rested and 20 seconds in we're trying to create a turnover, trying to force pressure," Hall said. "I saw T.J. Oshie back there and he's a forward and I knew he would play the puck aggressively so I was able to chip it past him.
"On the breakaway, I just had to get it up and get the goalie moving a bit, open up that glove side."
Drew Stafford, Andy Greene and Miles Wood scored, Sami Vatanen had three assists, and Keith Kinkaid made 16 saves for the Devils. Kinkaid won his second straight start; the backup made 25 saves in a 4-1 win at the New York Islanders on Tuesday.

"The most impressive thing is our commitment to defense, which leads to our offense and gives us energy," Kinkaid said. "Everyone is sacrificing the body and stepping up for each other. Brian Boyle had a big fight out there (against Tom Wilson in the second period) and we're blocking shots. That's key this time of year."
Washington went 0-for-5 on the power play, and New Jersey had 12 blocked shots, including a game-high three by defenseman Ben Lovejoy.
"We just weren't sharp [on the power play]," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "They stalled us out through the neutral zone. The decisions at the blue line were not great. We'll get a chance to work on it the next few days. Our timing was just a little off but we just didn't execute."
Brett Connolly scored twice, Dmitry Orlov scored, and Braden Holtby made 28 saves for the Capitals, who were coming off their mandated five-day break.

Connolly scored off a backhand pass by Evgeny Kuznetsov from the slot for his second goal to tie it 3-3 with 3:38 remaining in the third period.
"We came back to get a point," Washington forward Nicklas Backstrom said. "That was the only goal in our heads in the third, tie it up and anything can happen in overtime."
Wood had given the Devils a 3-1 lead at 10:55 of the second period when he skated onto a long pass from Vatanen and scored on a breakaway.
Orlov scored 14 seconds later off a slap shot from the left circle to make it 3-2 at 11:09.
Greene's first goal in 27 games gave the Devils a 2-1 lead when he deflected a shot inside the right post at 3:33 of the second.

"It's weird to say but we're going to get our offense by playing well defensively and creating turnovers," Hall said.
Connolly scored 12:10 into the first period to tie it 1-1.
Stafford made it 1-0 when he took a pass from Marcus Johansson, fought off a check from Devante Smith-Pelly and backhanded a shot past Holtby at 8:01.

Goal of the game

Hall's goal 34 seconds into overtime.

Save of the game

Kinkaid's save on Alex Ovechkin 8:33 into the third period.

Highlight of the game

Wood's goal 10:55 into the second period.

They said it

"I thought our start was good, and then we started throwing pucks loosely to the middle and giving up way too many shots and grade A chances. In the second period, it was just making decisions with the puck. Guys didn't execute under pressure as well as they needed to. I thought we had a good push in the third, but the whole game we were chasing it." -- Capitals coach Barry Trotz
"Hall] is skating really well, seeing the ice and he's confident and it's good. He's a huge part of this team and as he goes, we go, so it's good to see him playing well." -- Devils captain Andy Greene

Need to know

The Capitals are 12-0-2 in their past 14 games against the Devils, dating to Dec. 6, 2014. ... Ovechkin was held without a point for the second time in the past three games. ... Washington forward Andre Burakovsky, who has missed the past three games (illness), is expected to return against the Montreal Canadiens on Friday. ... Vatanen played his 300th NHL game.

What's next

Capitals: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, NBCSWA, TSN2, RDS, NHL.TV)
Devils: At the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; NBCSP, MSG+, NHL.TV)