The Matchup: The New Jersey Devils (4-3-0) at the Washington Capitals (4-3-0)
The Time: 1:00 PM EDT
The Broadcast: TV — MSGSN/DAZN Streaming; Radio — Devils Hockey Network
The Locker Room Bug Hits All
Yesterday afternoon, the New Jersey Devils practiced before heading to Washington ahead of their game this afternoon. Cody Glass took a maintenance day, bringing Luke Evangelista back into the line rushes. However, Sheldon Keefe did something pretty interesting: he had Evangelista line up in Glass’s spot on the fourth line at center rather than mix up the top three lines. After the practice, Keefe revealed that Evangelista would not travel or play today as he continues to recover from his illness. This means that the Devils will be rolling with the same lineup that they had against the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers.
However, the New Jersey Devils are not the only team to be suffering from locker room bugs. The Washington Capitals have also been affected. With Matt Roy already out of the lineup due to a lower-body injury, the Capitals have lost two out of their last three since Pierre-Luc Dubois left the lineup due to illness. Now, they may also be without fourth-line center Justin Sourdif while Roy remains questionable for today.
Dubois remaining absent against the Devils is a big blow to the Capitals. Normally, Dubois would center Alex Tuch and Tom Wilson, giving Washington a big and tough first line, while Justin Sourdif would center the fourth line. Both Dubois and Sourdif help set Washington’s tone, so them being replaced up the middle by Boone Jenner and Ethen Frank is a much different look than what the Devils would otherwise have to deal with. With the top line for Washington now being Tuch, Ryan Strome, and Jordan Kyrou, this is an easier matchup for the Hughes line to play against, while the Hischier line can handle Aliaksei Protas with Jenner and Wilson.
First Early Afternoon Game
Today is the earliest start time the Devils will have until Black Friday, and the Devils have been hit or miss in these early matinees for a few years now. The Devils did win their 3:30 start last Saturday against the Canucks, but they are going to need an even better game against a team as deep as the Capitals — even with Washington missing a few of their best players. Fortunately, the Devils’ top players should be well-rested after Thursday night’s drubbing of the Rangers. Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes only played 14:12 and 17:34, respectively, as Cody Glass and Evan Rodrigues accounted for about the same amount of ice time.
With the team rolling four lines effectively, they should be able to bring more energy to the table. This type of game is the time you want to see guys like Timo Meier, Anthony Mantha, and Stefan Noesen forcing their ways to the net. Meier especially needs to get on the board this season, though this is not the slowest start he’s had in a season. Currently, he has three assists in seven games, while his worst start was in his 2022-23 season. That season, Meier had two assists through seven games and didn’t score his first goal until San Jose’s 10th game. Despite that start, Meier scored 40 goals that season.
A Big Day for Jake Allen
Jake Allen had an adventurous night against the Detroit Red Wings on Frozen Frenzy Tuesday, so I am looking for some more stability out of him this afternoon. Considering Charlie Lindgren played last for Washington, expect Allen to face Logan Thompson today. Thompson has a 3-2-0 record with a .904 save percentage this season, and he is coming off of two excellent seasons with upwards of 50 goals saved above expected across those years. To battle Logan Thompson, Allen has to be at his best.
The Devils will also have to battle harder to make Thompson’s job more difficult. As I mentioned above, the Devils’ netfront scorers will have to play their hardest to create chaos around the crease. And while they might not have to deal with Matt Roy, the Devils’ biggest forwards are going to have to battle Vincent Desharnais and Justin Holl on the second and third pairings — and they aren’t exactly cakewalks for forwards to play against. I think limiting mistakes defensively and getting consistent goaltending is going to be crucial for the Devils to get ahead of the Capitals, because it might take a few extra scoring chances to beat Thompson today.
Your Thoughts
What do you think of today’s game? Do you think the Devils can handle the Capitals this season? What do you think of Washington’s improvements up front? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and thanks for reading.
