Capitals at Devils
The Washington Capitals have made up ground in the Metropolitan Division by posting a 5-1-1 record against its rivals. The Capitals look to continue their ascent when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. Washington breezed to a 6-2 triumph over New Jersey on Oct. 16 before Cory Schneider responded with 30 saves to lift New Jersey to a 1-0 victory over the Capitals on Nov. 14.
"This is an opponent that in all likelihood is going to be right along with us at the end of the season," Washington forward Brooks Laich said of the Devils. Mike Cammalleri notched an assist in the first encounter before scoring the lone goal in the second for New Jersey, which snapped an 0-3-2 slide with a 5-3 victory over Toronto on Thursday. The scoring outburst was a welcome one for the Devils, who mustered just five goals in their previous four games combined.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN DC (Washington), MSG Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (11-10-4): Eric Fehr scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period as Washington opened its three-game road trip with a 2-1 victory over Carolina on Thursday. Braden Holtby made 29 saves against the Hurricanes to improve to 6-3-1 on the road this season and has stopped 53-of-56 shots in the two meetings with New Jersey. Washington didn't have to kill a power-play opportunity in the last contest after yielding three goals while short-handed in both of its previous two games.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (10-12-4): After sitting out the entire third period on Thursday, Damien Brunner was placed on waivers by New Jersey the following day. "I just felt with the logjam of players that we have right now and, hopefully, people will be coming back from the injured list, we'll have to start making decisions, and this was a decision that we made," general manager Lou Lamoriello told the Bergen Record. Brunner recorded an assist on defenseman Eric Gelinas' power-play goal against the Maple Leafs and has seven points (two goals, five assists) in 17 games this season.
OVERTIME
1. New Jersey RW Jaromir Jagr and D Adam Larsson are questionable as they deal with the flu while LW Patrik Elias remains day-to-day with a groin strain.
2. Washington D Mike Green practiced on Friday but is expected to miss his sixth consecutive contest with an upper-body injury.
3. The Devils have the fewest home victories (three) of any team in the league.