WASHINGTON (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck recovered from a shaky start to make 43 saves, remaining unbeaten in net with New Jersey as the surging Devils defeated the Washington Capitals 7-4 on Saturday night.
Evan Rodrigues scored twice for the Devils, who earned their second win against Washington in three days. Jesper Boqvist, Connor Brown and Lenni Hameenaho each had a goal and two assists, and defenseman Luke Hughes added three assists.
Nico Hischier and Timo Meier also scored to help New Jersey improve to 11-2 since Oct. 20 with its seventh victory in eight games. Meier's power-play goal late in the second period gave the Devils their first lead, 4-3, and Hischier's short-handed goal made it 5-3 early in the third.
Rodrigues scored at 3:18 to make it 6-4 and added an empty-netter with 3:15 left.
Hellebuyck gave up three goals in the first period but only one after that. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner and 2025 NHL MVP has won all seven starts with the Devils after being traded by the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 23.
Ilya Protas, Anthony Beauvillier, Ryan Leonard and Pierre Luc-Dubois scored for the Capitals. Charlie Lindgren stopped 26 of 32 shots.
New Jersey's sixth goal came on a fluky play in front of Washington’s net, when Rodrigues' centering pass bounced off the skate of Capitals defenseman Timothy Liljegren and in without a New Jersey player anywhere near the crease.
Washington held a 3-2 lead after a frantic first period, but Boqvist tied it at 10:33 of the second.
The Capitals killed a four-minute high-sticking penalty to Leonard midway through the second to preserve their one-goal lead, but couldn’t capitalize on the momentum that provided.
Up next
Devils: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night.
Capitals: Visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night.
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Andrew Gillis, The Associated Press