Capitals, finding their way without Alex Ovechkin, tangle with Devils

The Washington Capitals failed to get their offense untracked in their first game since the team announced superstar captain Alex Ovechkin will be sidelined four to six weeks with a broken left fibula.

The Capitals will look for a better showing on Saturday night when they host the New Jersey Devils. The Metropolitan Division rivals each skated away with a win on the other's home ice last month.

Washington was unable to generate much in the way of offense in Thursday's 2-1 setback to the visiting Colorado Avalanche, save for Pierre-Luc Dubois' goal late in the first period. As a result, the Capitals saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt.

The game was Washington's first since Ovechkin exited Monday's 6-2 win over the Utah Hockey Club with 14:30 remaining following a collision with Utah forward Jack McBain. Ovechkin, 39, has scored 13 of his team-leading 15 goals over his last 11 games played.

"It's an unfortunate injury," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. "Anytime you lose your captain, anytime you lose a player that is having the year that he's having and playing as well as he's playing -- he's such a big part of our team. ... He'll be back at some point for us. Now we just need other guys to do more."

Andrew Mangiapane was elevated to the top line to play with Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas on Thursday, while Hendrix Lapierre was inserted into the third line to work alongside Lars Eller and Jakub Vrana.

"We had a couple new combinations, guys maybe feeling each other out a little bit," rugged forward Tom Wilson said, per the Washington Post. "But I think we could definitely hold on to more pucks and create a little bit more offensively."

Ovechkin, naturally, would have a hand in that -- as the Devils would attest. The three-time Hart Trophy recipient had an assist in Washington's 5-3 loss to New Jersey on Oct. 12 and a goal in a 6-5 overtime victory versus the Devils seven days later.

New Jersey captain Nico Hischier collected two goals among his four points in the two previous games against the Capitals. Hischier scored all 10 of his goals this season in October and is joined by Jesper Bratt and Stefan Noesen for the team lead.

Speaking of Bratt, he scored two goals and set up another while Jack Hughes had three assists in the Devils' 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.

"Bratter is just playing elite right now," Hughes said. "We're connected. We're moving the puck well and finding our groove but it's about staying consistent throughout the year."

Noesen also scored a goal against his former team while battling an illness. The goal was his third in his last three games and 10th in 22 contests this season after recording a career-high 14 in 81 games in 2023-24 with the Hurricanes.

"Noesen was a game-time decision," New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said. "He almost didn't play ... Then he scores that goal against his former team."

--Field Level Media