Devils double up Capitals with Nico Hischier taking centre stage

Dawson Mercer and Michael McLeod each scored twice for the Devils, who have won four of their past five games. Nico Daws made 23 saves.

Evgeny Kuznetsov had a goal and an assist, Alex Ovechkin had two assists and Hunter Shepard made 22 saves for the Capitals. Washington has dropped five of its past six.

Hischier gave New Jersey a 1-0 lead at 3:03 of the first period. Shepard stopped a shot from Colin Miller, but Hischier got his stick on the rebound in the low slot to send it glove side.

Hischier found the back of the net again at 9:50, deflecting a point shot from Luke Hughes on the power play to make it 2-0.

Connor McMichael cut the Washington deficit in half at 18:38 on the power play, taking a pass from Rasmus Sandin below the right circle before carrying the puck just inside the far edge and beating Daws high short side.

Mercer, playing in his 200th NHL game, one-timed a pass from Erik Haula from the slot to put the Devils ahead 3-1 at 8:08 of the second period.

Kuznetsov pulled Washington within one at 11:25 when he took a pass from Ovechkin at the blue line before sliding the puck under Daws' right pad.

John Carlson scored on a one-timer from the point on the power play, off a feed from Kuznetsov, to tie it 3-3 at 18:58.

McLeod, locked in a battle in stride with Martin Fehervary, spun and sent a backhand five-hole for a 4-3 Devils lead with 16 seconds left in the middle frame.

Mercer made it 5-3 from the inner edge of the left circle at 7:16 of the third period and McLeod slipped another backhand under Shepard from in front to push it to 6-3 at 15:35.