Washington 4, New Jersey 2. Three second-period goals undo the Devils' start.

Washington scored four consecutive goals to beat New Jersey 4-2 at Capital One Arena on Saturday. Three arrived in the second period, turning a tied game into a 4-1 Capitals lead. Logan Thompson stopped 29 shots, and the Devils fell to 4-4-0 after their 7-1 win over the Rangers on Thursday.

Arseny Gritsyuk had put New Jersey ahead at 10:04 of the first period. The NHL recap places the goal one second after a Devils power play ended, so it should not be described as a power-play goal. Ryan Leonard tied it on Washington's power play at 16:42, taking the game to the first intermission at 1-1.

Three goals in the middle period

Ilya Protas made it 2-1 at 1:16 of the second. Dylan Strome followed at 4:36, and Boone Jenner scored at 11:14. That is three goals in a 9:58 span within the period. The score changed from level to a three-goal Washington advantage before New Jersey could answer. Jake Allen finished with 21 saves.

Alex Ovechkin assisted on Protas' goal. The NHL report places him at 761 career assists, one short of Nicklas Backstrom's Capitals record of 762. That is a Washington club comparison, not the league's all-time assist record, and it does not predict the game in which a tie or pass will happen.

The late push and its limit

New Jersey's strongest counterpoint is its third period: the Devils outshot Washington 17-5. Thompson made 16 saves in that period, allowing only Timo Meier's power-play goal with 19 seconds left. The push was real. So was its limit. New Jersey did not score its second goal until the closing seconds, after spending most of the period three behind.

Our read: the late shot total cannot explain away the middle-period breakdown. Washington won the decisive scoring stretch, then received enough goaltending to protect it. The Devils' response is worth retaining in the assessment, but it is not evidence of a close score throughout. Saturday's final belongs beside Thursday's win, not beneath a claim that one result has settled the season. Washington improved to 5-3-0.