WASHINGTON — In a thrilling encounter on Saturday evening, Paul Cotter propelled the New Jersey Devils to a 5-3 victory over the Washington Capitals by scoring two goals, bringing his total to four in just four games this season.

In a rare turn of events, Capitals’ superstar Alex Ovechkin was unable to record a shot on goal for only the 23rd time throughout his illustrious career. Nonetheless, he contributed with an assist and delivered six hits on the night. As the captain entered his 20th NHL season, he stands 42 goals shy of surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s remarkable record of 894 goals.

Additional goals for New Jersey came from Seamus Casey, Tomas Tatar, and Dawson Mercer. Both Erik Haula and Stefan Noesen stood out with three assists each, while goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 29 saves to secure the win.

The Devils, now holding a record of 3-1-0, faced a tense finish to protect their two-goal lead going into the third period when Tom Wilson quickly netted a goal for Washington just 95 seconds into the final frame. Though the Capitals had a power play opportunity mid-period to even the score, Mercer sealed the game with an empty-net goal that came just eight seconds before the final whistle.

For Washington, John Carlson and Dylan Strome each recorded a goal and an assist during the matchup. However, the Capitals faced a setback when defenseman Matt Roy exited the game due to a lower-body injury and did not return.

**Takeaways:**
The encouraging outlook surrounding the Devils in the offseason appears justified as Cotter continues his scoring spree, while the squad is creating numerous strong offensive chances.

From the Capitals’ perspective, despite the emotional home opener that featured over 70 team alumni celebrating the franchise’s 50th anniversary, the energized, sold-out crowd was unable to rally the team for a late equalizer.

**Key Moment:**
A pivotal point in the game occurred when Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren lost possession of his stick, leading to a sequence where Cotter scored his second goal during a 2-on-1 rush, extending New Jersey’s lead to 4-2 before the second intermission.

**Key Stat:**
The Capitals’ third-line trio, consisting of Sonny Milano, Hendrix Lapierre, and Aliaksei Protas, were on the ice for three of New Jersey’s goals, illustrating a challenging outing for that line.

**Up Next:**
The Capitals will continue their three-game homestand this Tuesday against the Vegas Golden Knights, while the Devils are set to return home for a Monday matinee matchup against Utah.