Capitals edge Devils 2-1 behind Thompson's 30 saves

Washington wins third straight as New Jersey's winning streak ends

Mar. 21, 2026 at 7:25am

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Logan Thompson made 30 saves to lead the Washington Capitals to a 2-1 victory over the visiting New Jersey Devils on Friday. Ryan Leonard and Aliaksei Protas scored for the Capitals, who are 3-0-1 in their past four games. Jesper Bratt scored the lone goal for the Devils, whose three-game winning streak was snapped.

Why it matters

The win keeps the Capitals in the playoff hunt in the Eastern Conference, while the loss drops the Devils out of a wild card spot. Both teams are jockeying for position in the tight race for the postseason.

The details

The Capitals took the lead midway through the first period when Ryan Leonard scored off a rebound. The Devils had several chances to tie it, including a shot that hit the crossbar on the power play, but Thompson was solid in net for Washington. Protas added an empty-net goal late to seal the win for the Capitals.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 21, 2026.
  • Leonard scored the opening goal at 9:36 of the first period.
  • Protas scored the empty-net goal at 18:17 of the third period.
  • Bratt scored for the Devils with 43 seconds remaining in the third period.

The players

Logan Thompson

The Capitals' goaltender who made 30 saves to earn the win.

Ryan Leonard

The Capitals' forward who scored the opening goal in the first period.

Aliaksei Protas

The Capitals' forward who scored the empty-net goal to seal the win.

Jesper Bratt

The Devils' forward who scored their lone goal in the third period.

Jake Allen

The Devils' goaltender who made 26 saves in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“We knew it was going to be a tough game against a good Devils team, but our guys battled hard and Logan made some big saves when we needed them.”

— Peter Laviolette, Capitals Head Coach

What’s next

The Capitals will look to continue their playoff push when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday. The Devils will try to bounce back when they visit the New York Rangers on Tuesday.

The takeaway

This was a crucial win for the Capitals as they try to secure a playoff spot in the crowded Eastern Conference. The Devils' three-game winning streak was snapped, but they remain in the hunt for a wild card berth with a few weeks left in the regular season.