This was a weekend to forget for the Devils.
A pair of rookies scored for New Jersey on Sunday, but the Washington Capitals left with a 3-2 win and a series sweep of a back-to-back set at Prudential Center.
Kyle Palmieri hung his head in frustration after his last-second shot was blocked by Washington defenseman John Carlson.
Alexander Ovechkin sent home the go-ahead goal with less than seven minutes left in the second period. The Capitals winger picked a corner on a 3-on-2, moments after a close call on the other end for Nikita Gusev.
Suddenly, the Devils (7-8-2) have fallen to seventh in the East Division and sixth in overall points percentage.
The Devils will continue a five-game homestand on Tuesday when they host fans and the New York Islanders at Prudential Center.
The Devils came out flat for the second straight game on Sunday as the Capitals produced the game's first six shots.
Yet, the Devils weathered the storm and even took an early 1-0 lead when Mikhail Maltsev beat Ilya Samsonov on a wrister. Maltsev took a long bank pass from P.K. Subban and fired a shot from the right circle for his second goal of the season. Pavel Zacha picked up the secondary assist on the play, extending his point streak to 10 games.
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Washington answered back later in the period when Jakub Vrana followed his own rebound and scored through the five-hole. The Capitals went ahead on another rush chance in the second period when Nicklas Backstrom finished off a 2-on-1 from Tom Wilson.
Luckily for the Devils, it didn't take long to find the equalizer. The tying goal came 48 seconds later when Yegor Sharangovich snuck a shot through the Capital goalie.
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Nico Hischier missed the game a day after being hit in the face with the puck. Coach Lindy Ruff said the Devils center is listed as day-to-day for now. It's a tough break for Hischier, who was sidelined earlier this year with a leg injury and by COVID.
"He's being evaluated and he'll be out for today," Ruff said. "We'll just go from there."
