Live updates: Washington Capitals vs New Jersey Devils at Capital One Arena

After an unsuccessful 1-3-0 road trip, the Washington Capitals, who are losers of 7 of their last 9, are back home to lick their wounds and try to reverse the course of their season against the New Jersey Devils.

The Devils come into the game without their best player, Jack Hughes, who underwent surgery for a dinner-related injury. Yes, I repeat, Jack Hughes suffered an injury during a team dinner.

Meanwhile, the Capitals, who are still missing one of their best players, Pierre-Luc Dubois, are turning to Justin Sourdif to center the second line. The Capitals will also be without John Carlson due to injury.

Puck drop for tonight’s game is shortly after 7:00 pm. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin have the call on Monumental Sports Network.

Lines

Washington Capitals

New Jersey Devils

Tunnel shenanigans

1st Period

Puck is dropped. Duhaime-Dowd-Frank and Fehervary-TVR get the start.

A notable NHL debut for the Devils.

Tom Wilson to the box for hooking Dawson Mercer at 1:23. Devils go to their first power play.

Jesper Bratt rings a point shot off the crossbar.

Declan Chisholm to the box for high-sticking, giving the Devils a 5-on-3 power play for 8 seconds.

Caps kill the 5v3. Now 1:52 of a 5v4.

Huge one-timer by Arseny Gritsyuk from the top of the right circle beats Thompson easily. Wow.

Anthony Beauvillier hooks Mercer between the legs at 7:02 and hauls him down. The Capitals are going to back to the penalty box. Capitals fans are booing. What a reverse of last year.

The Caps killed the penalty but the Devils were humming. The Caps need to stay out of the penalty box bad. This team is still great on the man advantage without Jack Hughes.

The Devils are outshooting the Capitals 9-3 with 9:46 into the game.

Martin Fehervary loses his balance and slams hard stomach-first into the end boards after being hooked by Jesper Bratt. Bratt immediately came over and checked on him. Fehervary is being helped off the ice and is leaving the game, at least for now, at 13:18.

Fehervary just returned to the ice with a few minutes to go. Great to see he’s all right.

Alex Ovechkin with a huge hit on Bratt along the end boards. He’s slow off the ice, but staying on the bench.

Luke Hughes with a pinpoint accurate shot past a screened Logan Thompson. This game is already going the wrong way.

At intermission: The Devils lead 2-0. The Devils outshot the Capitals 13 to 8. Just a horrible start when you need to turn things around.

2nd Period

Puck is dropped.

It is QUIET at Capital One Arena. You could hear a pin drop.

Hendrix Lapierre peels down the left wing, fires a shot, it’s stopped, he gets his own rebound, fires again, it’s stopped.

Devils with a rush down the ice, Thompson makes two big saves of his own consecutively on Bratt and then Hischier.

Brenden Dillon is no longer on the Devils bench.

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