Capitals 3, Devils 2 (FINAL)
Zach Parise and the Devils had gained a point in 10 straight games before losing to the Caps on Monday night.


newjerseydevils.com (Dec. 10) – A lackluster second period and a disallowed goal in the third period helped send the Devils to their second straight loss.

Looking to bounce back from their first defeat in 10 games, New Jersey managed two shots in the second period and saw Mike Mottau's apparent goal overturned before dropping a 3-2 decision to the Capitals in Washington on Monday night.

John Madden and David Clarkson scored for the Devils, who conclude their three-game road trip Thursday night in Boston.

New Jersey trailed 3-1 when Mottau scored the disputed goal, putting a shot on Olaf Kolzig that rebounded off the netminder's right pad and deflected into the net off of Mottau's left skate.

The goal was disallowed after It was ruled that Mottau had kicked the puck in.

Clarkson later made it a one-goal game on a wraparound at 2:18 of the third by creating a turnover on the forecheck for his fourth of the season.

In the end, the Devils came up short against a last-place Capitals team that entered the night with the league's fewest points.

Kevin Weekes (2-1-1) got the nod for his fourth start, and first in the last 13 games. Weekes posted 21 saves in his first regulation loss of the season.

After the two clubs had played to a 1-1 tie through 20 minutes, Washington broke the game open with two goals in the second period while outshooting the Devils, 10-2. New Jersey failed to register a shot on goal over the final 11:51 of the period.

Jeff Schultz gave Washington its first lead of the contest 53 seconds into the middle frame with his third of the season from Alexander Ovechkin and John Erskine.

Quintin Laing later chipped in his first career NHL goal from Erskine and Matt Bradley to give the Caps a two-goal cushion with 1:52 left before the second intermission.

Madden struck first for the Devils with his eighth of the season from Brian Gionta and Dainius Zubrus for a 1-0 New Jersey lead at 5:56 of the first period.

Sheldon Brookbank held in a Washington clearing attempt at the right point, and Zubrus put the puck deep, where it was recovered in the right corner by Gionta. Gionta backhanded a centering feed to Madden, who one-timed it into the net.

The Capitals responded on the power play when rookie Nicklas Backstrom beat Weekes for his fourth of the season at 8:44.


NJD NOTES
The Devils lost in regulation for just the third time this season when scoring the first goal (11-3-1)... Vitaly Vishnevski returned to the lineup after being scratched on Sunday night, and the Devils skated seven defensemen... Mike Rupp was a healthy scratch.