Tonight at 7 p.m. the New Jersey Devils get ready to face a division rival, the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena. As of now, the Devils sit in the impressive first place spot in the Metropolitan division tied with the Carolina Hurricanes at a whopping 28 points, while their latest opponent, the Washington Capitals sit in third only 1 point behind New Jersey at 27 points. The stakes are high as they vie for the desired top spot in the merciless division.
The Capitals are coming off a hard 2-1 loss against the Colorado Avalanche where Pierre-Luc Dubois was the only one to find the back of the net. Throughout their last 10 games they’ve had a record of 6-3-1, while the Devils have acquired a record of 7-3-0 in their last 10. Washington’s record conveys a message that seemingly shows they’ve been struggling in the last few games they’ve played.
The Devils instead are coming off on a higher note since the outcome of their last game was a refreshing 4-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes, with whom they have a tough past. New Jersey’s first two lines are finally injury free, although their last two lines have suffered a bit of tragedy as Nathan Bastian and Curtis Lazar have both incurred injuries that have taken them off the ice and into the players’ box.
New Jersey isn’t the only team who have had some impactful injuries as the Capitals beloved captain, forward Alexander Ovechkin, suffered a fractured fibula on Monday Nov. 18. He is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. Washington is also without forward Sonny Milano, who was injured Nov. 6. The only information given on his injury is that it’s upper body.
It’s expected to be a well-balanced game as both New Jersey and Washington have played up to the expectations they’ve been given, maybe even exceeding them at times. Also, its crystal clear both teams play very physical, which could forecast some fights and heavy hits on the ice tonight.
Goaltending on both teams may have to work overtime tonight as the Devils’ and Capitals’ offense has been lethal lately. New Jersey’s biggest contributing offensive line lately has been Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt and Ondrej Palat, and this line has been given the nickname “PB&J Line” as they’ve made some incredible passes alongside impressive goals. Players on Washington who need to be focused on are Dylan Strome, who leads the team in points and assists, and Connor McMichael, who’s potted 12 goals this season and collectively has 19 points.
There’s also a bit of expectation to see defensive players on both teams continue to make an impact throughout all three zones tonight.
The win and the two points that come with it could go to either team tonight; It mostly depends on the energy and grit that both teams need to bring. This game can be a preview of what’s to come in the next few years for both teams.
