This is your place to check for updates and comment along with the Washington Capitals vs. Buffalo Sabres game on January 3, 2023.
The Washington Capitals ended the calendar year of 2022 with nine goals against the Montreal Canadiens. Tonight they’ll try to start 2023 right with a victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
The Capitals will play the Sabres during a unique moment in time. Tuesday night’s game marks the first time a Buffalo team has played since Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed in a game against the Bengals. There were many tributes for Hamlin pregame and there will be a moment of silence before puck drop.
Tonight’s game is on NBC Sports Washington Plus. The opening faceoff will be a little after 7 pm. It’s a Reverse Retro night.
Links
- TJ Oshie is back in the lineup!
- The tributes for Damar Hamlin
- Jakub Vrana placed on waivers by Detroit. Whaaaa?
- What Ovi’s doing at age 37 is pretty much unprecedented
- Ovi and a very special momento
- Wayne knows he’s going to be second someday soon
- The Capitals’ awesome December put them back into the playoff conversation
- This phone video of Ovi’s 802nd goal. Holy moly!
- 2024 Winter Classic location announced
Lines
Lineys!#CapsSabres | @JackDaniels_US pic.twitter.com/AeDiv6peNf
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 3, 2023
Tunnel shenanigans
THERE HE IS!#ALLCAPS | @CaesarsSports pic.twitter.com/GX3pqrast4
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 3, 2023
1st Period
Johansson-Eller-Oshie and Orlov-Jensen get the start. Darcy Kuemper is opposing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in net.
The Sabres started the game with a high-danger chance but Kuemper managed to get a quick whistle from officials.
Five minutes in, the Sabres only have one shot on goal, but they have the Capitals hemmed in their own zone.
🚨 1-0 Sabres. A beautiful two-on-one goal. Dmitry Orlov got pants’d by Tage Thompson down the wing. As Nick Jensen tried to get to the loose puck, Thompson got to it first and found Alex Tuch wide-open in front for the one-timer goal. The goal came at 10:48 mark.
🚨 1-1. Sonny Milano ties it up one minute and 19 seconds later. Milano scored via his backhand on a breakaway. Milano was skating 21 MPH per NBC Sports Washington. The goal came at the 12:07 mark.
TJ Oshie takes the game’s first penalty after high-sticking Kyle Okposo.
🚨 2-1 Sabres. Tage Thompson scores on the power play from the left circle via a one-timer. He beat Kuemper clean short-side. The goal is Thompson’s 28th goal of the season. He has goals in six of the last eight games.
The Sabres outshot the Capitals 11 to 8 and at 5v5 out-attempted them 19 to 12. The Sabres also hold the expected goals edge 0.86 to 0.51.
2nd Period
🚨 3-1 Sabres. Tage Thompson has another. Holy moly this guy is good. No wind up and beats Darcy top corns on the blocker side.
Set play off a faceoff, Alex Ovechkin rings a shot off Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s mask. “That’ll rattle his fillings,” Joe B said excitedly.
🚨 3-2 Sabres. Ovechkin scores off the very next faceoff. No one went over to guard him and he beats Luukkonen clean.
Capitals go to the power play looking to tie.
The Capitals lead in shots on goal 19-17. The two teams were tied in 5v5 shot attempts 32-32. The Capitals have the expected goals advantage now 1.92 to 1.41.
3rd Period
🚨 3-3. Nic Dowd scores in front of the net to tie! That was Dowd’s 7th goal in his last 13 games and his tenth of the season. The goal came 55 seconds into the third period.
Luukkonen with an incredible save on Conor Sheary.
🚨 4-3 Caps. Conor Sheary rips Rasmus Dahlin off behind the net and finds Alex Ovechkin in front of the net for his second of hte night. It’s the Caps’ first lead of the night. The goal came at the 7:10 mark of the period.
🚨 4-4. Tyson Jost scores on a breakdown in front of the Capitals net. This game keeps going back and forth. Been epic to watch.
The Sabres will finish the third period on the power play after Evgeny Kuznetsov tripped Dahlin.
Lars Eller takes a tripping penalty while on the PK. Sabres to the 5-on-3.
The Capitals survive to get to overtime. The Sabres will start the extra session with a long four-on-three power play with Eller still in the box.
The Capitals outshot the Sabres 30-27 and at 5v5 shot attempts 50-45. The Capitals had the expected goals advantage as well, 3.05 to 2.20.
Overtime
The Capitals kill the penalty. Nic Dowd, Nick Jensen, and Martin Fehervary with exemplary work there.
Comment below. Refresh this article throughout the night as we’ll be updating it live.
