Washington Capitals vs New Jersey Devils Picks and Prediction for Thursday November 12 2026

Washington heads to New Jersey on Thursday night for a 7 PM ET game at Prudential Center. The Capitals have been playing better lately, but the Devils have been awfully tough at home. New Jersey has also been scoring more consistently, which makes this a difficult matchup for Washington. The Capitals can absolutely win if they get the game they want defensively. But I’m leaning toward the Devils. The betting prices weren’t verified when this preview was prepared. The heat on the ice is warming up and you should make sure you are ready for all the action with our free NHL picks.

Washington Has Been Getting Results

Washington is 10-6-0 and has gone 6-4 over its last ten games. The Capitals have been improving, and they’ve been finding ways to win close games. They’re 2-2 on the road, which isn’t terrible, but it doesn’t exactly make them a team I’d blindly back away from home. Thursday is a good test because New Jersey has been winning consistently in its own building.

The Capitals are averaging 3.5 goals per game and allowing 3.4. That’s a lot of scoring at both ends. Washington has enough offense to make New Jersey uncomfortable, but the defense has been giving up too many good chances. Against a Devils team averaging 3.6 goals a night, that’s dangerous. Washington needs to tighten things up in its own zone and avoid spending long stretches chasing the puck.

Rasmus Sandin and Vincent Desharnais have been listed unavailable, which affects Washington’s defensive depth. Those losses matter against a New Jersey team that can create offense from several different situations. The Capitals need their remaining defensemen to move the puck cleanly and avoid turnovers around the blue line. Washington also needs to stay disciplined. Giving the Devils repeated power-play chances would make this a much harder game.

New Jersey Has Been Tough to Beat at Home

New Jersey is 13-6-0 and has won eight of ten home games. That’s a pretty impressive start at Prudential Center. The Devils have also gone 9-1 over their last ten games, which tells you they’ve been playing some of the best hockey in the league. New Jersey has been getting the job done at both ends, and that’s what makes the Devils difficult to bet against right now.

The Devils are averaging 3.6 goals per game and allowing only 2.8. That’s a much better defensive number than Washington’s 3.4. New Jersey has been creating plenty of scoring chances while limiting opponents’ opportunities. The Devils don’t need a perfect game to win. They can make a mistake or two and still recover because they’ve been getting consistent offensive production.

Seamus Casey has been listed unavailable, which affects the defensive rotation. New Jersey still needs to be careful against Washington because the Capitals have enough offense to punish mistakes. The Devils should concentrate on keeping Washington away from the middle of the ice and making the Capitals work for their chances. If New Jersey does that, I like its chances of controlling this game.

Washington Capitals vs New Jersey Devils Picks and Prediction

Moneyline Pick: New Jersey Devils

I’m taking New Jersey. Washington has been playing better, and the Capitals can score. But the Devils have won eight of ten at home and nine of their last ten overall. That’s hard to argue with. New Jersey also has the better defensive numbers, allowing 2.8 goals compared with Washington’s 3.4. I think the Devils create enough chances to win, and I trust their defense more when the game gets tight.

Total Pick: Over — Pending Verified Line

I lean over. Washington has been scoring 3.5 goals a game and allowing 3.4. New Jersey is scoring 3.6. That’s enough offense to make me interested. The concern is New Jersey’s defense, which has been doing a good job limiting opponents. The Devils could turn this into a controlled 3-1 win. But I think Washington has enough offense to contribute a couple of goals, and New Jersey should get its chances. Something around 4-2 Devils makes sense. I’d want to see the verified number before betting.

Final Picks: New Jersey Devils Moneyline | Over (pending verified total)

Disclaimer: Completed November 11, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, and starting goaltenders may change before puck drop.