Caps Top Players Step Up, but Not Enough in 5-3 Loss to Devils

The Washington Capitals will need their top players to be at their best if they have any hope at making the playoffs in the 2024-2025 season. One game in, their stars showed up but it wasn’t enough as the Caps fell 5-3 to the Devils on opening night.

The star power started early with John Carlson firing a rocket pass New Jersey goalie Jacob Markstrom to give the home side a 1-0 lead hallway through the opening frame. The power play goal was assisted by Pierre-Luc Dubois. Dubois, a central piece of the offseason moves made by Washington recorded his first point of the season on the play.

Dubois registered two shots on goal and a hit and was involved in a couple of post-whistle scrums in just…