Kuznetsov leads Capitals' rout of Devils
NEWARK, N.J. -- If there is one team in the NHL that is not eager for the All-Star break this weekend, it is the Washington Capitals.
Washington continued its torrid pace with a 5-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night at the Prudential Center.
The league-leading Capitals (33-10-6) received a pair of goals from Evgeni Kuznetsov, including an empty-netter, a goal and an assist apiece from Alex Ovechkin and Andre Burakovsky, and 27 saves from Braden Holtby.
Washington has recorded at least one point in 15 of its last 16 games (13-1-2) and is a sizzling 20-3-3 since Dec. 5. The Capitals are also 9-0-1 in their last 10 games versus New Jersey.
The Devils (20-21-9), who wore throwback red and green uniforms for Retro Night Thursday, lost two in a row and three of four heading into the break.
Washington raced to leads of 2-0 after one period and 4-2 after two by taking advantage of New Jersey's shaky defensive play and some spotty play by Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid.
Ovechkin opened the scoring 6:14 into the game with his 23rd goal of the season after stealing the puck from New Jersey defenseman Kyle Quincey inside the Devils blue line, and proceeding to break in at full speed before roofing his shot over Kinkaid.
Another defensive-zone turnover, this one by New Jersey's Jon Merrill who was under duress behind his own goal line, led directly to Washington's second goal with 1:32 remaining in the opening period. Burakovsky scored his fifth goal in the past seven games and 10th of the season after taking the puck away in front of New Jersey's net.
Newcomer Stefan Noesen, making his Devils debut after being claimed off waivers from Anaheim the day before, got his new team on the board 3:19 into the second. Skating unguarded down the middle of the ice, Noesen accepted a Pavel Zacha pass and zipped a shot from between the circles over Holtby's glove for his third goal of the season.
However, moments after Holtby stoned Zacha at 7:54, the Capitals scored two quick goals to secure a 4-1 lead. The first was scored by Lars Eller, who was left all alone atop the crease to bury a rebound at 8:29. The second was a power-play goal credited to Kuznetsov after the puck slid off his stick and somehow between Kinkaid's pads at 10:19.
Kinkaid was removed from the game at that point, having surrendered four goals on 17 shots, and replaced in goal by Cory Schneider.
Adam Henrique got one back for the Devils -- his 12th of the season -- with a power-play deflection 1:44 before the second intermission to make it 4-2.
NOTES: RW Stefan Noesen, who was claimed off waivers from Anaheim on Wednesday, scored two goals, including the first of his NHL career, in 12 games with the Ducks this season. ... The Devils scratched C Sergey Kalinin, LW Luke Gazdic, and D Seth Helgeson. ... Washington scratched D John Carlson (undisclosed injury) and RW T.J. Oshie, who returned home because of personal reasons.