Time: Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 7:00 PM ET
League: NHL – United States of America

Last 10 matches: New Jersey 9-1-0; Washington 7-3-0
Washington could jump back into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with a regulation victory, but New Jersey has had the number of the teams it is fighting for the top seed with the Devils are a combined 6-0-0 this season against the Capitals and Penguins. Ovechkin has 24 goals in 29 games this season. He’s on pace to score 61 times, which would trail only the 65 he scored in 2007-08 for single-season output. The pace would also give Ovechkin, who has missed eight games, 68 goals if he played the entire 82-game season.
New Jersey recently got good news and bad news: Forward David Clarkson (broken right fibula) is skating with the team and will likely return to the lineup at some point next week. However, defenseman Paul Martin (broken left arm) needed additional surgery and is out another four weeks. Forward Dainius Zubrus (right kneecap surgery) hopes to start skating again soon.

Washington goalie Semyon Varlamov (groin) and forward Boyd Gordon (back) are on injured reserve. Defenseman Brian Pothier (ribs/flu-like symptoms) is out indefinitely.
Fourth and final meeting of the regular season. The Devils are responsible for nearly one-fifth of the Capitals’ defeats this year. New Jersey owns a 3-2 shootout win in its previous trip to Washington, in addition to 3-2 and 5-2 victories on home ice. Alex Ovechkin had two assists in the Oct. 12 game and missed the previous two with an upper-body injury. Live score and results will be available soon..