Luke Hughes fills brother Jack’s void as Devils edge Capitals in 3-2 shootout

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Luke Hughes had a goal and assist and Simon Nemec had the shootout winner as the New Jersey Devils beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Saturday night.

Arseny Gritsyuk also scored for the Devils, who have won four of the last five games in overtime or the shootout and remain atop the Metropolitan Division.

Alex Ovechkin had his 902nd career goal and added an assist, and Connor McMichael also added a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who have lost eight of their last 10 and remain at the bottom of the division standings.

With Jack Hughes out for eight weeks after finger surgery, younger brother Luke stepped up to help fill the void at both ends of the ice.

Early in the first, with Washington taking three consecutive penalties, Hughes found Gritsyuk wide open for a one-timer to make it 1-0 on the power play. Later in the frame, he added a goal of his own to give New Jersey a 2-0 lead entering the second, firing a wrist shot from the slot past Logan Thompson.

After putting on the pressure in the second, Washington broke through in the third, with McMichael tapping in a back-door feed from Ovechkin. Seven minutes later, Ovechkin corralled a pass to the front from McMichael before wiring it past Jake Allen to tie the game and force extra time.

After a goaltending clinic between Allen and Thompson through overtime, it went to a shootout. Jesper Bratt and Nemec scored to win it for New Jersey. Allen had 30 saves and Thompson had 29 saves in regulation and overtime.

Devils: Continue their road trip against the Lightning on Tuesday.

Capitals: Host the Kings on Monday.

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