The Buffalo Sabres go back house from a travel out west and face a tricky check in opposition to the Jap Convention-leading Washington Capitals on Monday night time.
Washington has 55 issues, 22 forward of last-place Buffalo, which went 1-2-1 on its travel and has misplaced 3 immediately (0-2-1) after profitable 3 in row.
The Capitals are 5-2-1 of their previous 8 video games after a 7-4 win in opposition to the visiting New York Rangers on Saturday.
Dylan Strome had a function and two assists and Alex Ovechkin, Andrew Mangiapane and Tom Wilson each and every had a function and an lend a hand for the Capitals. Jakob Chychrun and Martin Fehervary each had two assists and Logan Thompson made 29 saves.
“It simply presentations how just right of a lineup now we have most sensible to backside,” stated Connor McMichael, certainly one of seven function scorers Saturday. “We shouldn’t have one or two guys sporting the weight. It is been guys at the again finish, at the fourth line, first line, no matter is. It is been massive. It is a credit score to them and why we are profitable such a lot of video games.”
Washington’s protection is chipping in, too, totaling 20 objectives via 39 video games this season after netting 20 in all of 2023-24.
After which there is Ovechkin, who enters Monday 23 objectives from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL document of 894. Ovechkin has scored in 4 of 5 video games since getting back from a fractured left fibula that brought about him to pass over 16 video games. He has 19 objectives in 23 video games this season.
“To be fair with you, I think each sport higher,” Ovechkin stated. “Touches, skating-wise. I will take it and we will transfer on.”
Goalie Charlie Lindgren is predicted to start out and can glance to prevent a distressing streak for he and Thompson. In each and every of the final two video games a puck misplay by means of a Capitals goalie has resulted in an opponent’s first-period function.
Buffalo closed out its highway travel with a 3-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday. Jason Zucker scored in his fourth consecutive sport and James Reimer made 30 saves in his first get started since Dec. 21.
“I feel we care,” Reimer stated. “I feel now we have were given persona on this room. Possibly once in a while the execution is not there, however I really like so much about this crew and sadly once in a while you shouldn’t have your perfect.”
Zucker’s power-play function got here with 2:18 left to play.
“We driven,” captain Rasmus Dahlin stated of the overdue good fortune. “Each and every time we do not assume, we simply play with instincts. And, I imply, the compete. The compete is the principle factor. Win battles, stay it easy, win battles once more. Pucks to the web. That is the stuff that works and we need to take into account that’s what we need to do.”
Zucker’s function was once his fifteenth this season, surpassing the season overall he reached in 69 video games with Arizona and Nashville final season.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will probably be within the web when Buffalo opens a five-game stretch that includes just one highway sport, a brief travel to Ottawa.
Washington has been forged at the highway, going 13-6-0. Buffalo is 7-10-3 at house.
Wilson scored two times and Strome had the game-winning tally when the Capitals beat the Sabres 4-2 on Dec. 14 in Washington.
–Box Stage Media
