Thu. Jan. 18 Washington Capitals @ New Jersey Devils
Place: Prudential Center
Time: 7:00 p.m.
TV: NBC Sports Washington, ALT
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, Capitals Radio 24/7
New Jersey Devils 54-23-12-8 Last Game: Jan 16, Won 4-1 against Islanders
Washington Capitals 59-28-14-3 Last Game: Jan 12, Won 4-3 against Hurricanes
8-Ovechkin 19-Bäckström 25-Smith-Pelly
13-Vrana 92-Kuznetsov 43-Wilson
10-Connolly 20-Eller 77-Oshie
18-Stephenson 83-Beagle 39-Chiasson
29-Djoos 74-Carlson
9-Orlov 2-Niskanen
44-Orpik 22-Bowey
70-Holtby (starter)
31-Grubauer
-- SCRATCH --
65-Burakovsky
4-Chorney
-- INJURED --
-- 1st Powerplay Unit --
77-Oshie 19-Bäckström 92-Kuznetsov
8-Ovechkin 74-Carlson
-- 2nd Powerplay Unit --
39-Chiasson 20-Eller 13-Vrana
2-Niskanen 9-Orlov
Referees: Dan O’Rourke (#9) Jake Brenk (#26)
Linesmen: Matt MacPherson (#83), Greg Devorski (#54)
1st Period08:01 Devils GOAL Stafford 1-0 NJD
12:10 GOAL 10-Connolly, assists 77-Oshie & 44-Orpik 1-1 TIE
2nd Period03:33 Devils GOAL Greene 2-1 NJD
10:55 Devils GOAL Wood 3-1 NJD
11:09 GOAL 9-Orlov, assists 39-Chiasson & 83-Beagle 3-2 NJD
3rd Period16:12 GOAL 10-Connolly, assists 92-Kuznetsov & 43-Wilson 3-3 TIE
OT00:34 Devils GOAL Hall 4-3 NJD
FINAL: 4-3 NJD
By Jesse Dougherty January 18 at 2:04 PM
Andre Burakovsky a healthy scratch again when Capitals face Devils
Andre Burakovsky is out of the lineup Thursday night. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Andre Burakovsky, who missed the two games before the Capitals’ now-passed bye week due to illness, will be a healthy scratch when the Capitals face the Devils.The 22-year-old winger was expected to be a reliable top-six forward coming into the season, but has since bounced around Coach Barry Trotz’s lineup and missed time due to injury and a few healthy scratches. Trotz indicated Thursday morning that Burakovsky, who rotated into the Capitals’ fourth line during their morning skate, is a healthy scratch because of the time he missed before the five-day break. The Capitals were also unable to practice yesterday due to travel delays, which means Thursday was Burakovsky’s first time on the ice in more than a week.“He’s been on break for quite a while now,” Trotz said. “So to give him the best chance to be successful, get a good skate today and I expect him to go in tomorrow for someone and let’s get him rolling in the right direction.“He was going to be in in the Carolina games but he got sick, so now he’s a week-plus without being on the ice. So I just think this is his best chance to get back after having a little bit of the flu.”The Capitals will be well-rested against the Devils Thursday. That might be a problem.By Jesse DoughertyJanuary 17 at 3:25 PMWhen the Capitals play the Devils tomorrow, they will do so without anything more than a morning skate to regroup after a bye week. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post)Of all the positive consistencies of the Capitals’ last two seasons — rock-solid goaltending, production from the first power-play unit, winning in the regular season — they will confront an unwanted trend Thursday night in Newark.The Capitals have been noticeably slowed following long layoffs, whether it be after last season’s bye week or longer-than-usual breaks between games this year. Now they will come off a four-day bye week with only Thursday’s morning skate to regroup. The team’s Wednesday afternoon practice, scheduled to take place in Newark at 4 p.m., was cancelled due to travel delays, which also means Capitals Coach Barry Trotz and players were not available to the media.The last time the Capitals were on the ice together was last Friday night in Raleigh, as they celebrated a last-second goal by Jay Beagle to head into the break with six wins in their last seven games. That improved the Capitals to 28-14-3, good for first place in the Metropolitan Division, and now they face the second-place New Jersey Devils (23-12-8). The Devils have the NHL’s seventh-ranked offense (3.1 goals per game), sixth-ranked power play (22.1 percent) and are coming off a 4-1 road win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday.In the other locker room, the Capitals are coming off a four-day break filled with vacations and time with family.Washington entered last season’s bye week on a six-game winning streak. When they resumed play, the Capitals dropped back-to-back games. After a four-day gap between games in October, the Capitals dropped a 6-2 result to the Vancouver Canucks. After a four-day gap between games in November, the Capitals lost, 5-2, to the Los Angeles Kings. And after after a three-day gap between games in December, the Capitals spoiled a great start by Philipp Grubauer and extended a losing streak to three with a 1-0 shootout loss against the New York Rangers.Statistically, the Capitals are not successful when well-rested. Soon, with back-to-back nights at New Jersey and hosting the Montreal Canadiens, they will have another chance to turn a brewing trend into hollow, forgotten numbers.