Devils Get Their Shot at Answering Washington
New Jersey returns home after the Winnipeg loss, with the Capitals riding a two-game win streak and holding the East's final wild-card spot.
Written before the game
The standings say these are two teams on a roll. The underlying numbers say only one of them has been winning the shot battle.
Over their last 10 games, the New Jersey Devils have created the better chances and given up fewer. They have averaged 3.76 expected goals for (a measure of how many goals their chances were worth) against 2.82 allowed, and they have outattempted opponents by a wide margin, averaging 60 shot attempts for and about 48 against. That fits an 8-2-0 run and a +13 goal differential.
The Washington Capitals are 7-3-0 in that span, but the picture is tighter. Their chances have only slightly outweighed what they have allowed, and they have actually been outattempted, averaging about 57 shot attempts for and 59 against. They have been winning games that have been close on the ice.
New Jersey is 8-2-0 at home and sits second in the Metropolitan with 26 points. Washington, 3-2-0 on the road, holds the third wild-card spot with 20 points in three fewer games. The Devils, coming off a loss in Winnipeg, get this one in their own barn.