BY: DAVID KOLB
NEW JERSEY DEVILS (13-15-7) @ WASHINGTON CAPITALS (20-9-4)
TWO WITH THE CAPS
Tonight, the Devils travel to Washington where they face the Capitals in the first of four games the two clubs will play this season. They will meet again on Saturday at Prudential Center to close out the home-and-home set. The Devils were 0-2-2 against the Caps in the 2015-16 season, while their last win over Washington came on Nov. 14, 2014.
HENRIQUE BACK ON PACE
Adam Henrique has shaken off some early-season woes and is now producing consistently, as he tallied his team-leading ninth goal (tied with Michael Cammalleri, P.A. Parenteau) on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Henrique has three points in his past three contests and ten points in 13 games for the month of December.
HALL OUT
Taylor Hall notched his third assist in his past three games and now trails only Travis Zajac for the team-lead in scoring by one point. He now has registered 23 points in 27 games. Unfortunately, the Devils received bad news on Wednesday as it was announced that Hall is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
OV GETTING HOT
Alexander Ovechkin is heating up and must be closely watched tonight, as he scored in back-to-back games and found the back of the net in four of his last seven contests. In Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Islanders, he scored a goal and added an assist, bringing his season totals to 16 goals and 10 assists for 26 points.
PALMIERI PRODUCING
Kyle Palmieri recorded an assist on Tuesday, extending his points streak to three games. Palmieri scored two goals and tallied an assist for three points during that stretch.