Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Washington Capitals (8-2-4) at New Jersey Devils (8-4-0), 7 p.m.

The Washington Capitals will try to end a two-game slide without the services of superstar Alex Ovechkin when they visit the New Jersey Devils for tonight's battle at Prudential Center.

Ovechkin, the league's leading goal-scorer in each of the last two seasons, suffered an upper-body strain in Sunday's overtime loss to Columbus and the Caps are listing him as week-to-week.

Early in the second period of the 5-4 setback, Ovechkin fell to the ice after colliding with Columbus' Raffi Torres. The two-time reigning MVP underwent an MRI exam Monday and will travel with Washington during its two-game road trip to New Jersey and Florida. Ovechkin currently leads the NHL in goals (14) and is second with 23 points.

"We have to buckle down," head coach Bruce Boudreau told the team's official Web site. "A goal a game he scores, so we got to play better defense and cannot allow four or five goals a game. You have to win 3-1 and 2-1 and if you get lucky sometimes make it a 4-2 game. I think we have enough character players who understand what we will have to do without Alex."

The Caps were dealt an overtime loss by the visiting Blue Jackets on Sunday, as R.J. Umberger scored his second power-play goal of the game 1:45 into OT. Washington got two goals from Brooks Laich, and Quintin Laing, who this past week was diagnosed with swine flu, picked up his first goal of the season.

Nicklas Backstrom also scored for the Capitals, who have lost two straight in overtime on the heels of a six-game winning streak. Washington has recorded at least a point in nine straight games, going 6-0-3 over that stretch.

Jose Theodore gave up all five goals on 32 shots in the setback, while defenseman Mike Green added an assist to extend his point streak to nine games. Green has two goals and nine assists during the tear.

The Caps are playing the first of two straight on the road tonight and are 4-1-1 as the guest this year. Washington will also visit Florida on Friday before returning to D.C. for the finale of a home-and-home series with the Panthers on Saturday.

The Devils, meanwhile, have won two straight and five of their last six games. New Jersey is coming off Saturday's road win over Tampa Bay, as David Clarkson scored the lone goal in the shootout to lift the Devils to a 2-1 decision at St. Pete Times Forum.

After Vincent Lecavalier opened the fourth round with an unsuccessful backhander, Clarkson closed out the contest by sliding a backhand past Lightning goaltender Antero Niittymaki.

"I don't know about the shot totals, but we really weren't giving them anything for most of the game," said Clarkson. "They got a goal on a broken play in the third period but after that we played really well. I was just fortunate to get that shot away and put it home."

Travis Zajac tallied for the Devils, who finished October having won five of six overall.

Martin Brodeur, who needs just one shutout to tie Hall of Famer Terry Sawchuk for most all-time, got the win with 18 saves.

The victory improved Jersey to a perfect 7-0-0 on the road this year. However, the club is just 1-4-0 as the host on the season. The Devils are playing the first of two straight on home ice tonight and will also welcome the New York Islanders on Friday.

The Devils notched a 3-2 shootout victory at Washington on October 12 to win for the sixth time in the last 10 meetings between the clubs. The Caps have won two of their last three at Prudential Center, but have lost nine of their last 12 road games overall in the Garden State.