Jack Hughes produces 5 points as Devils dent Caps’ playoff hopes
Jack Hughes collected two goals and three assists and Jesper Bratt also recorded a five-point performance, fueling the New Jersey Devils to a 7-3 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday in Newark, N.J.
Hughes boosted his point total to 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 18 games since the break for the Milan Cortina Olympics.
Bratt had a goal and four assists as the Devils (39-34-2, 80 points) posted their 11th win in their last 16 games and dealt a blow to the postseason aspirations of the Capitals (38-29-9, 85 points). Washington resides three points behind the Ottawa Senators for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Dawson Mercer scored twice, Cody Glass and defenseman Dougie Hamilton also tallied and Jake Allen made 29 saves for New Jersey. Allen stopped all 14 Washington shots in the second period.
Tom Wilson and Pierre-Luc Dubois each collected a goal and an assist and rookie defenseman Cole Hutson also tallied for the Capitals.
Washington's Logan Thompson yielded six goals on 29 shots while playing in his 200th career game.
Hamilton's blast from just inside the blue line sailed past a screened Thompson to give New Jersey a 3-2 lead with 1:41 remaining in the first period.
Bratt notched an assist on that goal and added his second of the night after sending a cross-slot feed to Hughes. The Olympic hero did the rest by wristed a shot that sailed just inside the left post at 9:10 of the second period.
Hughes scored from in front at 8:10 of the third period.
Wilson replied 83 seconds later to trim the Devils' lead to 5-3, however Bratt converted on the power play just under three minutes later to seal the win.
Lenni Hameenaho's stellar backhanded feed set up an unmarked Glass in front to open the scoring 5:22 into the first period.
Mercer deposited a centering feed to double the advantage at 7:37 of the first period before Hutson and Dubois tallied 92 seconds apart to forge a 2-2 tie. Hutson skated into a lead pass from Hendrix Lapierre before converting a breakaway at 8:15 before Dubois scored from the doorstep.