Matchup details and resources
Matchup
Capitals vs Devils
When
Friday, March 20, 2026
Faceoff
7:00 PM EDT
Where
Capital One Arena
Where to watch
MNMT, MSGSN
Extra resources
Gamecenter on NHL.com, advanced data via Natural Stat Trick, win-probability at Moneypuck, visuals from HockeyViz
Official sheets
box score, events recap, play log, home ice-time, visitor ice-time, shift breakdown, lineup sheets
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Setting the stage
With the lively NHL bow of Cole Hutson still fresh, Washington (a 34-7-8 record, good for 76 points) returns for game three of a four-contest homestand, hosting New Jersey (a 35-31-2 club worth 72 points) at home in their downtown building.
The visitors roll in on a three-win run, having claimed seven of ten lately, squeezing back among the East’s pack of clubs still chasing a postseason spot. That climb traces to Jack Hughes returning home from Italy, where he had buried the gold-medal winner for the Americans over Canada. Through Friday, New Jersey’s standout forward has posted three points in each of his last two outings and racked up 18 points — six goals plus 12 assists — over the 11 contests since the Games.
The Caps, who might have to capture every remaining game to stay in the playoff picture, now find themselves a seven-point gap shy of Columbus, third in the Metro, after jumping the Islanders in the table a night earlier; an eight-point margin also separates them from Boston and Detroit, the duo holding the conference’s wild-card slots.
Washington will go with the identical group that delivered a 4-1 victory at Ottawa’s expense on Wednesday. During the skate that morning, Spencer Carbery noted the roster would hold firm, even as the combinations got reshuffled somewhat. Drawing the assignment in net is Logan Thompson. Ivan Miroshnichenko, meanwhile, remains a healthy scratch for a seventh straight night since his promotion from Hershey.
Tonight’s opening faceoff is slated for 7 pm, with Monumental Sports Network handling the broadcast for viewers at home.
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Projected combinations
Caps forwards and defense
Top trio —
Strome
Ovechkin
Beauvillier
Next group —
Wilson
Dubois
Protas
Third unit —
Sourdif
McMichael
Leonard
Bottom group —
Lapierre
Duhaime
Frank
First pairing —
Fehervary
Sandin
Second pairing —
Chychrun
TVR
Third pairing —
Hutson
Roy
In goal —
Thompson
Lindgren
Devils skaters
Top trio —
Hischier
Meier
Mercer
Next group —
Hughes
Bratt
Brown
Third unit —
Glass
Gritsyuk
Hameenaho
Bottom group —
Bjugstad
Cotter
Tsyplakov
First pairing —
Siegenthaler
Hamilton
Second pairing —
Hughes
Kovacevic
Third pairing —
Dillon
Nemec
In goal —
Allen
Markstrom (backup)
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Netminders head-to-head
For Washington, Thompson (WSH) brings a .912 save percentage, a GSAx of +29.3, and a 31-21-6 ledger.
On the other side, Allen (NJD) carries a .904 mark, a +6.4 GSAx, and a 17-17-2 record.
Capstangibles: 🐥 versus 👶
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Pregame tunnel antics
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Opening frame
And we’re underway!
A full five into the period, and Washington still hasn’t put a puck on net.
If your bingo square read Connor McMichael for the opener, go ahead and cross it out.
Cole Hutson snuffed out a promising bid from Jack Hughes.
Leonard corrals it, then roofs the shot.
🚨
Caps lead 1-0
Goal — R. Leonard, his 15th; helpers to No. 22 B. Duhaime (4) and No. 57 T. Van Riemsdyk (9).
Answering Jack Hughes right back, Logan Thompson flashes a sharp glove.
With the clock winding down on the frame, Thompson denies a strong look by Bratt.
At intermission: Following a flat opening, the Caps have settled in and now pace the contest across every attacking metric, holding an 8-5 shots advantage — and leading, too, on the lone figure the scoreboard cares about.
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Middle frame
Back to action.
Aliaksei Protas missed by the slimmest of margins.
Washington keeps coming, and Ovi nearly tucks one home.
🦓
Shorthanded stretch
Ethan Frank – high sticking, two-minute minor
Wiped away.
A nice chance materializes off a Hutson-Roy connection, but nothing comes of it.
Things are heating up between Cole Hutson and Jack Hughes.
The Caps seem to threaten on virtually every shift, none more than Cole Hutson — yet none of it reaches the net.
🦓
Shorthanded stretch
Tom Wilson – hooking, two-minute minor
New Jersey clangs one off the iron. Logan Thompson tips his cap to that crossbar.
At intermission: Holding a 16-11 edge on the shot clock and largely steering the play, Washington nevertheless lets New Jersey bank slightly more leftover man-advantage time for the final 20.
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Closing frame
We’re back on.
The penalty gets killed off by the Caps.
New Jersey appears to have grouped Timo Meier, Nico Hischier and J Hughes together on a single line.
In a flash, Thompson robs Mercer of the equalizer with his glove.
The evening’s runner-up among Ethans, Ethen Frank, came within a whisker of another goal.
A power play arrives, finally.
🔋
Man advantage
Johnathan Kovacevic – hooking, two-minute minor
The second unit features Hutson.
Nothing doing — New Jersey kills it off.
Both keepers are locked in this evening. Jake Allen has just refused Leonard a multi-goal outing.
Out comes Allen as the Devils empty the net. The old familiar gamble.
🚨
Caps go up 2-0
Goal — No. 21 A. Protas, his 23rd; assists from No. 80 P. Dubois (5) and No. 43 T. Wilson (27).
Aaaaaand there goes the shutout, courtesy of New Jersey. Somebody must have put a hex on it.
🚨
Caps ahead 2-1
Goal — No. 63 J. Bratt, his 17th; set up by No. 86 J. Hughes (37).
Washington takes it, 2-1.
Begone you Metro Division demons: Capitals beat Devils 2-1
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