Washington @ New Jersey preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 19, 2019 ) Washington 4, New Jersey 1

The Washington Capitals own the best record in hockey and only a pair of one-sided losses to the Columbus Blue Jackets in an eight-day span kept them from widening their lead. Winners of eight of their last 10 overall, the Capitals go for their NHL-leading 16th road victory when they wind up a three-game trek at the New Jersey Devils on Friday night.

Washington had won five straight on the road during its 8-2-0 stretch before the streak was halted with a 3-0 loss at Columbus on Monday night. "We've got to get ourselves to the house more offensively," coach Todd Reirden said after his team fell to 15-3-1 on the road. "When we have trouble scoring a lot of times, it looks as though we've become more perimeter." New Jersey will be playing its second game since the trade of star forward Taylor Hall and is bidding for a season-high third straight victory. "We're starting to believe in it, and when you look and things snowball the wrong way, it's easy for it to gain speed," forward Kyle Palmieri said of the team responding to the new coaching staff.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, MSG-Plus (New Jersey)

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (24-6-5): On a team featuring elite offensive players led by captain Alexander Ovechkin, another part of Washington's success is the contributions from its fourth unit. The "DHL Line" -- named so because they deliver -- of Nic Dowd, Garnet Hathaway and Brendan Leipsic have a 49-30 edge in even-strength scoring chances while Dowd is a key member of the league's fourth-ranked penalty kill. Backup Ilya Samsonov will start in goal Friday while Braden Holtby will face Tampa Bay the following day.

ABOUT THE DEVILS (11-17-5): Goaltending has been an issue for New Jersey in the first two months of the season but Mackenzie Blackwood has stepped up his game in December. Blackwood has yielded only five goals in his last four starts and was superb in winning his last two, turning aside 57 of 59 shots in beating Arizona and Anaheim. “You know when a goalie is on his game when every save that he makes, they look easy," Devils interim head coach Alain Nasreddine said. "And I think everyone on the bench feels it.”

OVERTIME

1. The Capitals are 9-1-1 in the last 11 meetings.

2. Devils C Nico Hischier has three goals in his last five games and has five points in six meetings versus Washington.

3. Ovechkin has been held off the scoresheet in three straight but he has 25 goals and 58 points in 53 matchups versus New Jersey.

PREDICTION: Capitals 4, Devils 2