After three days of rest, which is too many, the Washington Capitals returned to action slightly healthier to take on the Buffalo Sabres (4-4-2).
The Capitals opened the game with two excruciating misplays in their own zone. First, Jack Quinn had a clear path to the net versus Ovechkin’s line. Then Chychrun turned the puck over behind the net, and Josh Doan finished it. Before the period was up, Tuch took a lucky bounce and turned into Washington’s first goal.
The second period was much better. Strome scored twice – first from Kyrou, then from Sourdif, both from inside seven feet. 3-2 after two. The Caps lost that lead early in the third period, with Noah Ostlund beating Charlie Lindgren on a rebound. Tied at three after sixty, we headed to overtime.
In the extra time, Alex Tuch revenged his old team by going top shelf.
Caps beat Sabres 4-3 in overtime!
- With Vincent Desharnais lost to appendicitis or whatever, and Rasmus Sandin still out long-term, the Caps returned Dylan McIlrath to the blue line. Justin Holl wasn’t eligible to be called up, and new guy Jack St. Ivany isn’t even here yet. The defensive roster is the team’s biggest problem, unless Chris says it’s the man-to-man coverage. Then it’s that instead.
- On the bright side, Justin Sourdif and Pierre-Luc Dubois both returned from what my grandmother used to call the Ol’ North and South. It’s going around. Sebulba had something; we’ve been feeling ecch for like a month. Wash your hands.
- Just as it’s hard not to love the Caps’ forward lines (or at least 75 percent of them), it’s hard not to dry heave about the Caps’ defense. No one was on Jack Quinn for that first goal, so he was free to cruise into the danger zone. Jakob Chychrun reverse-passed to a white jersey for the second goal. Noah Ostlund was free to shoot from the wings on the tying goal because Strome, Tuch, and Fehervary all failed saving throws on Minor Illusion in the slot.
- The Sabres had their defensive foibles as well. Dennis Gilbert fumbled this one to set up Tuch’s goal.
- An ex-Sabre, Tuch extended his goal lead with that OTGWG.
- The other best Cap of the night Dylan Strome scored twoth and threeth goals of the season, both by going to the net and getting great setups from his linemates.
- With two assists, both primaries, Jordan Kyrou now leads the team in assists.
- The Caps allowed a couple shorthanded chances on their first two power plays.
- With the game tied in the third period, the Caps took a pair of restraining penalties: a trip on Wilson and a slash on Tuch. I like it when the slashing penalty fully breaks the dude’s stick, like Tuch did to Zucker, if only because it is the only thing that stops us from pushing our glasses up our noses and whining, “uhm actually, methinks the esteemed zebras have erred and committed an ad hominem fallacy.”
- I’d be fine if they tried something different with Ovechkin. More different than the difference we have now.
Finally, after many months of off days, the suits are back. #joebsuitofthenight
— Good Skeet Pete (@peterhassett.net) 2026-10-24T23:05:34.450Z
The Caps have a lot going for them – young talent, physicality, Belarusian excellence – but they’re certainly imperfect. They can carry the possession game and still sabotage themselves with abundant mistakes. That’s Spencer Carbery’s job.
And now, you’re not going to believe this, but here come another three days off. They started the season with a back-to-back, they had four games in seven days, and now they have two games in eight days. At least the next one is against the Flyers.
