Capitals score three in third to rally for 6-4 win over Devils

New Jersey Devils Lose to Washington Capitals in 6-4 NHL Showdown

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — In a thrilling match on Wednesday night, the Washington Capitals came from behind to defeat the New Jersey Devils with a final score of 6-4. The game saw the NHL debut of goaltender Hunter Shepard, who made 18 saves to secure the win for Washington.

The tiebreaking goal was scored by Connor McMichael early in the third period, putting the Capitals ahead 5-4. This came after Dylan Strome of the Devils tied the game at 4 just 18 seconds into the final period on a power-play goal. Alex Ovechkin sealed the win for Washington with an empty net goal, his second goal of the season and 824th of his career.

The game was a rollercoaster of scoring, with Washington netting three goals in the first period, followed by the Devils scoring four goals in the second. However, the Capitals rallied with three goals in the third to secure the victory.

Despite a rough second period, Hunter Shepard held on and delivered a strong performance in his debut. The 27-year-old goalie was the MVP of the Calder Cup playoffs last spring after leading the Hershey Bears to the AHL championship.

Notable performances from the Devils included Tyler Toffoli’s two goals and Jack Hughes’ three assists. Hughes currently leads the NHL in scoring with 17 points and four goals.

For Washington, Anthony Mantha, Dylan Strome, and Sonny Milano scored in the first period to give them a commanding 3-0 lead. Mantha opened the scoring with his first goal of the season, followed by Strome and Milano finding the back of the net with the assistance of their teammates.

The momentum shifted in the second period as the Devils exploded for four goals in less than six minutes. Toffoli, who had scored a hat trick in their previous game, got things started for New Jersey. Timo Meier and Nico Hischier also contributed goals, with Toffoli scoring his second of the game to put the Devils ahead 4-3.

Before this game, the Capitals had only managed seven goals in their first five games. However, they found their scoring touch in this matchup, proving their offensive capabilities.

Looking ahead, the Devils will host the Buffalo Sabres on Friday, while the Capitals will host the Minnesota Wild on the same day.

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