Live updates: Washington Capitals vs Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center

The Washington Capitals have lost three games in a row and will look to end their streak against the Buffalo Sabres, who have found their game of recent.

The Sabres, after beginning the season 0-3, have standings points in seven of their last eight games. Most notably, Buffalo will be much more rested than the Capitals. The Capitals played last night in a 3-1 loss to the New York Islanders while the Sabres haven’t hit the ice since last Thursday. This has the makings of a schedule loss.

Spencer Carbery will give Charlie Lindgren his fourth game in goal and he will oppose Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen at the other end.

Dylan Strome will return after missing the two last two games due to a lower-body injury. Alex Ovechkin will however not be paired with him tonight. He’ll play on the third line with Sonny Milano and Hendrix Lapierre.

Puck drop for tonight’s game is shortly after 7 pm. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin have the call on Monumental Sports Network 2. (The Wizards on main tonight.)

Lines

Washington Capitals

Buffalo Sabres

Tunnel shenanigans

1st Period

Puck is dropped. Aliaksei Protas, Connor McMichael, and Tom Wilson get the start along with Martin Fehervary and John Carlson, who is playing his 1100th game tonight.

Dylan Strome scores on the Capitals’ second shot of the game, burying a huge rebound off an Anthony Beauvillier attempt.

Aliaksei Protas makes it 2-0 on a jailbreak with Connor McMichael, burying a two-on-none break. Caps needed a quick start like this.

Tage Thompson doesn’t wait long to start the comeback — 15 seconds — with a perfectly placed shot. Thompson now has 11 goals in 24 games against the Caps in his career.

Sonny Milano now has a breakaway, but he misses the net with shot.

Beck Malenstyn going after Tom Wilson and draws a penalty on his former teammate at 4:39. Sabres to their first power play.

Two huge saves from Charlie Lindgren on the penalty kill.

Tom Wilson fights Mark Greenway after he delivers a rough hit to Declan Chisholm. Wilson grabbed onto Greenway after Jakob Chychrun appeared to considering to fight him. Greenway gets a two-minute minor for an illegal hit to the hit. Wilson also gets a two-minute minor for instigating and a 10-minute misconduct. So the game remains at even strength.

Chisholm is going down the tunnel to the locker room. He’s likely getting called back for a concussion check.

First NHL goal for Isak Rosen with a beautiful snipe from the slot. Nobody’s stopping that. This kid has some hands.

At intermission: 3-2 Sabres. Buffalo leads in shots, 10 to 9.

2nd Period

Puck is dropped.

Aliaksei Protas hits the post on a two-on-one with Connor McMichael.

Krebs hits the post for the Sabres like 30 seconds later.

Alex Tuch to the box for interference at 6:20. He hauled down Fehervary along the boards with the puck no where near him.

Ovechkin has a chance but can’t bury it.

Greenwell blows up Tom Wilson with a huge hit along the corner boards. You usually don’t see that. Wow.

Ryan Leonard to the box at 14:16 for hooking Peyton Krebs. Not the best time for a penalty there.

Huge save by Lindgren on a big chance for Thompson in the left circle.

Milano scores on a tip-in of a Matt Roy point shot. Ryan Leonard then gets into it with Owen Power in front of the net, causing a scrum.

Bowen Byram and Ryan Leonard both to the box for minors during the goal celebration. The two teams will play four-on-four.

At intermission: The game is tied 3-3. The Capitals are outshooting the Sabres 25 to 17.

3rd Period

Puck is dropped.

OVI WON A FACEOFF!!

Declan Chisholm to the box for holding at 3:11. Big PK here.

Caps kill the penalty though the Sabres missed the net on a lot of prime opportunities.

Peyton Krebs to the box for tripping Tom Wilson at 6:09.

Caps power play looked terrible there but they’ll get a consecutive opportunity here after Beck Malenstyn hauls down Sonny Milano at 8:26.

Another horrible power play from the Caps, this is getting beyond concerning.

Brandon Duhaime draws a penalty as Alex Tuch commits a holding infraction at 16:41.

A huge one-timer from Ovechkin in the left circle and UPL makes a shoulder save. Biggest shot of Ovi’s season thus far.

Alex Ovechkin with a bad giveaway at the point at the end of the power play but the Sabres miss on the shorthanded breakaway.

End of regulation: The game’s tied 3-3. The Capitals lead in shots 29 to 22.

Overtime

Puck is dropped. Capitals win the opening faceoff.

Carlson and UPL both look a little shaken up after a play at the post. Carlson ribs went right into the side of the frame.

Tage Thompson hurting after blocking an Ovechkin shot.

Caps have the Sabres tired — they can barely move.

A huge chance for Ovechkin but another great save by UPL.

The Capitals have 9 shot attempts, the Sabres have none with 14.8 remaining in OT.

Shootout

❌ Jack Quinn goes way wide but Lindgren makes the save with his right toe.
❌ Dylan Strome dekes to the backhand but UPL makes the pad save
❌ Tage Thompson does a little shake and bake, goes forehand-backhand-forehand, but misses the net, perhaps might have hit the post.
❌ Anthony Beauvillier goes wide, dekes and is stopped by UPL’s right pad.
❌ Alex Tuch had Thompson beat but hits the right post
❌ Connor McMichael goes wide to the left and then tries his backhand, but misses the shot badly high.

To extras we go.

❌ Rasmus Dahlin stops and starts but Lindgren makes the glove save
❌ Alex Ovechkin loses the handle of the puck as he approaches the net. The puck bounced on him.
✅ Bowen Byram beats Lindgren short side with a snipe.
❌ Ryan Leonard goes wide to the left and then tries a head fake, and loses control of the puck.

Sabres win 4-3 (SO). Fourth straight loss.

Will-to-power-play: Sabres beat Caps 4-3 in the shootout

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