Capitals 3, Devils 0: New Jersey Loses Second Straight

The New Jersey Devils slim playoff hopes took another big hit Friday night as New Jersey lost to the Washington Capitals, 3-0. Following a stretch where New Jersey went 23-3-2, the Devils lost back-to-back games Thursday (Ottawa) and Friday. The team sits six points behind Buffalo for the final playoff spot, but has three teams in front of them and only 11 games to play.

Martin Brodeur stopped just nine shots for the Devils, who have dropped two straight for the first time since losing their first four games to start the new year.

"Defensively we handled their big players pretty good," said Brodeur. "They didn't get many chances out there, but they made the most of them."

The Devils understand the difficult position they are now in.

"We have 11 games left and we probably have to win 10 of them," Brian Rolston said. "It's not the end of the world. But we have to win 10 games. That's 90 [points]," Roltson said. "That's what we have to shoot for."

Washington Capitals At New Jersey Devils: Time Running Short For Devils

The New Jersey Devils have reached must-win territory in their quest to overcome an awful start to the NHL season and reach the Eastern Conference playoffs. With just 12 games to play the Devils (70 points) are six points behind the eight-place Buffalo Sabres, but stand in 12th place with four teams to climb over.

New Jersey hosts one of the league's best teams, the Washington Capitals, tonight at the Prudential Center (7 p.m.). The Capitals had a nine-game winning streak snapped Wednesday at Detroit, losing 3-2. With a win tonight in regulation the Capitals could tie Philadelphia for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Caps haven't lost two straight since a three-game skid from Feb. 8-14 and can also punch their ticket to the postseason with a victory tonight and a regulation loss by ninth-place Carolina versus the New York Islanders.

The Devils have just four regulation losses in their last 29 games (23-4-2), but Thursday night's 3-1 setback in Ottawa could prove costly. New Jersey is trying to dig itself out of an early-season hole and make the playoffs, but has just 12 games remaining and four teams between it and a postseason spot.

"We played decent. We had our chances, we just didn't score," Devils head coach Jacques Lemaire said.

New Jersey returns home for one game before starting a four-game swing on Sunday. The club is 12-1-1 in its last 14 at the Prudential Center.

-- Sports Network contributed to this report