Devils' 6-3 Win vs. Capitals: a Crucial 2 Points

With the Washington Capitals just ahead of them in the standings, the New Jersey Devils secured a crucial 2 points in regulation in a 6-3 win.

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After another three-day layoff, the New Jersey Devils returned to the ice to take on the Washington Capitals. With them just behind the Capitals in the playoff standings, coming away with two points in regulation was crucial. They did so in a relatively comfortable fashion, ending with a 6-3 win. Here are three takeaways. 

New Look Hischier Line Dominates

With Ondřej Palat and Timo Meier out of the lineup due to injuries, the Devils had a different look to their line combos. Dawson Mercer moved up a line alongside Nico Hischier and Erik Haula, while Alex Holtz moved to the third shift with Curtis Lazar and Michael McLeod. 

The moves paid off, as each line powered the Devils to the 6-3 win. It started with the Haula, Hischier and Mercer, as they opened the scoring and gave the Devils a 1-0 lead via a Hischier goal. Colin Miller fired a slapshot on Hunter Shepard, who left a juicy rebound for Hischier to clean up. 

They were just getting started with the scoring, too. Hischier netted a tally via the power play, but Mercer was key in helping the Devils extend their lead later in the game. He scored his first goal to help give the Devils a 3-1 advantage, then again found the back of the net in the third to make it 5-3, thanks to a great pass from Haula. 

Their underlying metrics as a line were fantastic, as they finished with a 76.08 expected goals percentage (xG%) and had an 11-5 edge in scoring chances over the Capitals. Devils coach Lindy Ruff said in his media scrum that Palát will be out a few games. But if Haula, Hischier and Mercer play as they did last night, the team should have no problem. 

McLeod & Holtz Rekindle Their Chemistry

Then there was McLeod's line, which went toe to toe with Hischier's as the Devils' best last night. McLeod scored two goals, including a massive go-ahead tally in the second period's final minute to give the Devils a 4-3 lead shortly after John Carlson tied the game via the power play.