Washington Capitals Drop Game To New Jersey Devils 7-3, Hope Dims For Playoffs
In an important matchup against the New Jersey Devils on April 2, the Washington Capitals lost by a score of 7-3. Jack Hughes scored 2 goals and 3 assists for New Jersey to help them win the game. Dawson Mercer scored twice while Jesper Bratt, Cody Glass, and Dougie Hamilton each scored a goal. For the Capitals, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Cole Hutson, and Tom Wilson scored.
The Capitals had desperately needed to not only win the game but score as many points as possible. They sit sixth in the Metropolitan Division, four points away from passing the Columbus Blue Jackets for a possible wild-card playoff spot. The Devils would need to score nine points to pass the Blue Jackets, so they are effectively out of the playoff race.
Devils Score Early In the First Period
The home team only took around 5 minutes to score, with Glass getting on the board at 5:22 with assistance from Lenni Hämeenaho and Nick Bjugstad. Mercer scored at 7:37, with the assist going to Timo Meier and Nico Hischier.
The Capitals, with Goalie Logan Thompson giving an uncharacteristic performance, needed to respond. They had already had two penalties for hitting, from Ivan Mirischnichenko and Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin had no assists or goals during the game after reaching 30 goals in his 20th season on March 31.
Hutson, the exciting young rookie for Washington, got on the board for just the second time this season at 8:13, assisted by Hendrix Lapierre and Wilson. It was his first goal in a few weeks, after scoring in his debut on March 19. Hutson wound up as the highlight of the game for the Capitals, with 7 shots on goal (out of 11 shots) and a shot block.
It’s looking likely that Washington’s season will end before the playoffs, but they do have this promising 19-year-old to boost them next season. The score went to a tie after Brenden Dillon of the Devils went to the penalty box for tripping, giving the Capitals a power play that Dubois was able to capitalize on at 9:46. Ryan Leonard and Wilson got the assist.
New Jersey didn’t let the score stay tied, though, as Hamilton scored at 18:19 with assistance from Hughes and Bratt. The Capitals led in shots, 9-8, at the end of the first period, but trailed by a goal.
Devils Pull Away From the Capitals
Hughes was the sole player to score in the second period, with the assist on his goal going to Bratt and Jonathan Kovacevic. Leonard took a hard hit to the head at one point, but stayed on the ice and played through it. The score was 4-2 to the Devils at the end of the second period, with the Capitals leading 22-17 in shots.
The third period was where the game was lost for the Capitals, however. They have consistently struggled with scoring on power plays this season, and that was the case in the third period as well. Hughes scored again at 8:10, with Bratt and Connor Brown assisting.
Wilson did get a goal at 9:33, assisted by Dubois and Rasmus Sandin. Bratt scored at 12:16, Hughes and Hischier assisting, then Mercer scored at 17:53 with Bratt getting his 46th assist of the season. Thompson was pulled after Bratt scored, to no avail. The final score was 7-3 to the Devils, with the Capitals getting 32 shots on goal to 29.
What’s Next?
Unusually, Thompson found himself bettered by an opposing goalie, with an SV% of just 0.793 to Devils goalie Jake Allen’s 0.906. The Capitals have struggled to execute on the offensive end this winter, as was the case in this game. The Devils played an excellent game all around.
Next, Washington will try to claw back goals against the Buffalo Sabres at home on April 4, while the Devils will host the Montreal Canadiens on April 4.
