Devils Game Preview vs. Capitals: Betting Odds, How to Watch, Projected Lines, & More

The New Jersey Devils are looking to turn over a new leaf in 2024.

The Devils will face the Washington Capitals in their first matchup of the New Year. They’ll do so without star forward Timo Meier. In his place, it looks like Curtis Lazar is clear to return to game action after missing the Devils’ last three contests.

Washington will be on their second leg of a back-to-back tonight. They defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 in regulation on Tuesday.

How to Watch

Time: 07:30 PM      Watch/Stream: TNT/MAX/MSGSN/MSG+      Listen: DEVILS HOCKEY NET

Projected Devils Lineup

Forwards

Tyler Toffoli – Jack Hughes – Jesper Bratt

Ondrej Palat – Nico Hischier – Erik Haula

Curtis Lazar – Michael McLeod – Dawson Mercer

Alexander Holtz – Chris Tierney – Nathan Bastian

Defensemen

Jonas Siegenthaler – Simon Nemec

Luke Hughes – John Marino

Kevin Bahl – Brendan Smith

Goaltenders

Nico Daws

Vitek Vanecek

Projected Capitals Lineup

Forwards

Alex Ovechkin – Evgeny Kuznetsov – Tom Wilson

Aliaksei Protas – Connor McMichael – Anthony Mantha

Hendrix Lapierre  – Dylan Strome – Matthew Phillips

Beck Malenstyn – Nic Dowd – Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Defensemen

Martin Fehervary – John Carlson

Rasmus Sandin – Ethan Bear

Joel Edmundson – Nick Jensen

Goaltenders

Darcy Kuemper

Hunter Shepard

Last Game

The Devils’ last game may feel like a distant memory after three days off between games. New Jersey faced off against the Boston Bruins back in 2023 last Saturday. After jumping out to a 2-0 lead by the opening minutes of the second period on the sticks of Nico Hischier and Luke Hughes. However, the Devils were unsettled from that point on as the Bruins scored five straight goals en route to a 5-2 victory. Vitek Vanecek made 26 saves in the loss. On the other end of the ice, Linus Ullmark made 31 saves securing the win.

Player to Watch

Dawson Mercer is skating into his 200th NHL game tonight. Mercer has played in 199 consecutive games since he began his NHL career in 2021-22. He owns the franchise record for the most consecutive games played to start an NHL career after he passed Scott Gomez’s 140 consecutive games played from the start of an NHL career.

Mercer’s 199 consecutive games played currently ranks (tied, C. Coyle & B. Coleman) 11th in the NHL for all active skaters.

Mercer’s 199 consecutive games played ranks 10th place all-time in franchise history, while Damon Severson’s 208 consecutive games (4/7/18 – 5/10/21) rank ninth for franchise history.

Devils vs. Capitals

According to the Devils’ PR, “The Devils and Washington face-off for the third time this season, after the Devils were defeated in the first meeting by a score of 6-4 on Oct. 25, at the Rock and then 4-2 at home on Nov. 10.

Remaining matchups:

Feb. 20, at WSH, 7:00 P.M.

New Jersey logged a 3-1-0 record vs Washington in 2022-23, which marked the first time since 2013-14 that the team won a season series vs the Caps.

ALL-TIME vs WSH

Record: 96-120-13-6
Home: 55-51-7-4
Road: 41-69-6-2

DID YOU KNOW…

The most goals in franchise history earned in a single game vs Washington is eight, which was logged by the Colorado Rockies on Oct. 28, 1977, in an 8-1 win vs Washington.

The most goals in Devils team history earned in a single game vs Washington is seven, twice, and last logged on Dec. 28, 2005, in a 7-2 win at Jersey.

The most goals that the franchise allowed in a single game vs Washington was nine, four times, and last recorded on Jan. 1, 1993, in a 9-2 loss at Washington.

The most shots that the franchise earned in a single game vs Washington was 47 on Jan. 20, 1989, in a 6-5 win at Washington.

The most shots that the franchise allowed in a single game vs Washington was 51 on Nov. 18, 1980, in a 7-1 loss at Washington.

The most shots that the Devils (team history) allowed in a single game vs Washington was 47 on Apr. 10, 1993, in a 5-3 win at the
Caps.

The last time that the Devils shut out Washington was on Oct. 11, 2018, in a 6-0 win (K. Kinkaid, 21 saves).

The last time that Washington shut out the Devils was on Mar. 26, 2021, in a 4-0 loss at Washington (I. Samsonov, 24 saves).

The Devils and Washington met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs twice, and last met in the postseason during the 1989-90 Division Semi-Finals – WSH eliminated NJD in six games.”

UPCOMING DEVILS SCHEDULE

Fri. Jan. 5, vs CHI, 7:00 P.M. E.T.
Sat. Jan. 6, vs VAN, 7:00 P.M. E.T.
Jan. 11, at TBL, 7:00 P.M. E.T.
Jan. 13, at FLA, 6:00 P.M. E.T.
Jan. 15, at BOS, 1:00 P.M. E.T.

Devils – Capitals Odds

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