The Washington Capitals moved into sole possession of first place in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division with their 6-5 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night. Washington entered the night one point back of the Devils but with three games in hand.
Washington’s win also moves them to the top of the entire Eastern Conference. The three top teams in the East, Washington, New Jersey, and the Carolina Hurricanes, are all from the Metropolitan Division.
The Capitals’ current four-game winning streak is the longest in the NHL. Their plus-32 goal differential ranks second in the league behind only the Winnipeg Jets (+36).
Per Capitals PR, Washington has scored five or more goals in 12 of their 24 games this season and is averaging an NHL-best 4.21 goals per game. In 2023-24, the Caps scored five or more goals in just 10 of their 82 games.
Washington’s win over New Jersey wrapped up the two teams’ season series against one another after just two months of the season. The Capitals won both games at the Prudential Center in Newark and dropped the two home games at Capital One Arena.
The Hurricanes were blown out 6-0 by the Florida Panthers earlier on Saturday, meaning the Capitals will stay atop the division moving into Sunday. Washington plays just two games against teams in their division in December, with the first coming against the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 12.
