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Capitals vs Sabres live analysis and updates (February 26, 2023)

By Chris Cerullo

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February 26, 2023 12:55 pm

This is your place to check for updates and comment along with the Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers game on February 25, 2023.

The Washington Capitals have just two games remaining before the NHL’s March 3 trade deadline is upon them. The first of those games comes on the road in Buffalo as the young, upstart Sabres host a Caps team that has won just three of their last ten.

Starting in net back-to-back days for the Caps will be Darcy Kuemper. Kuemper has given up three or more goals in five straight starts and in 12 of his last 17. He’ll look to end that against the Sabres as he gets right back in net after a victory over the Rangers on Saturday.

The Sunday matinee matchup is on NBC Sports Washington and puck drop inside KeyBank Center is slightly after 1 pm.

Links

Lines

Pregame Shenanigans

1st Period

Milano-Strome-Oshie and Fehervary-Jensen get the start. Darcy Kuemper will face Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in net.

Huge chances for TJ Oshie, Jack Quinn, and Alex Ovechkin all in the first ninety seconds of the contest. Both goaltenders make their first big stops.

Luukkonen stops Nicolas Aube-Kubel on a breakaway. Ridiculous pace to start the afternoon.

🚨 1-0 Sabres. Dylan Cozens finishes off a great rush chance. So many very fast, very good young players on this Buffalo team.

It’s Cozens again using his speed to create a breakaway but this time Kuemper is ready for it.

🚨 1-1 tie. The puck goes down the other end and Nick Jensen finds Dylan Strome for a quick response goal.

🚨 2-1 Sabres. Evgeny Kuznetsov spun and sent a blind backhand pass right into the slot to Tage Thompson. Thompson ripped home his 40th of the season.

🚨 2-2 tie. They barely dropped the puck for the faceoff after Thompson scored and Dylan Strome found TJ Oshie at the side of the net to tie things back up. Four goals in his last three games for Osh.

That’s how period one ended. An absolutely insane back-and-forth affair.

2nd Period

🚨 3-2 Sabres. Jeff Skinner cleans up some loose change in behind Kuemper.

🚨 4-2 Sabres. Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons make Matt Irwin and Dylan McIlrath look silly and put Buffalo up two.

🚨 5-2 Sabres. Vinnie Hinostroza adds another. The Sabres walked through the Caps like they didn’t exist. Kuemper snaps his stick on the goal frame and Charlie Lindgren will take over for him.

Darcy Kuemper breaking his stick and chucking his mask is every Capitals fan this season

🚨 6-2 Sabres. Dylan Cozens is not any nicer to Lindgren than he was to Kuemper. That kid can absolutely fly and has the finish to boot.

🚨 6-3 Sabres. Alex Ovechkin jammed home his 33rd marker of the season. Ovi’s first in February after going without one for six games.

Alex Ovechkin looks to sky after scoring first goal since his father Mikhail passes away

🚨 6-4 Sabres. Sonny Milano finds a breakaway chance and makes no mistake on a forward-to-backhand move past Luukkonen.

Matt Irwin tried to gift the Sabres a seventh goal but Charlie Lindgren was ready to stop Skinner at the buzzer. Six goals total in that second frame. Utter mayhem.

3rd Period

Nick Jensen to the box for hooking. Big kill here for the Caps.

🚨 7-4 Sabres. Dylan Cozens finishes off his hat trick as he’s left wide open right in front of the net. What a ridiculously impressive outing from him.

A frustrated Nic Dowd takes a cross-checking penalty away from the play.

The third was a bit sleepy especially compared to the rest of the game. The Sabres push past the Caps by two points in the standings and still have four games in hand.

Comment below. Refresh this article throughout the night as we’ll be updating it live.

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