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Game preview
The Washington Capitals (5-4-0) are back at Capital One Arena on Saturday night, looking to bounce back from arguably their most frustrating performance of the young season.
The Capitals enter its matchup against the Buffalo Sabres (4-4-2) having lost two of its last three games, including Tuesday’s 5-2 defeat to the previously winless Los Angeles Kings. The Capitals jumped out to a 2-0 lead before surrendering five unanswered goals, continuing a troubling trend of defensive breakdowns.
Saturday’s game will also be a special one for Alex Tuch, who will face his former Sabres teammates for the first time since his sign-and-trade to the Caps this summer. The Syracuse, New York, native spent five seasons with his hometown team, helping Buffalo snap its NHL-record 14-season playoff drought last spring.
Tuch admitted Friday that he had a “big dumb smile on my face” just thinking about seeing his old teammates again. He even joked that Zach Benson would probably be the first Sabres player to give him a cheap shot.
The Capitals will have a different look on Saturday — a much more outlaw-y one. Charlie Lindgren will start in goal with Logan Thompson sidelined by a lower-body injury he suffered against the Kings. Pierre-Luc Dubois and Justin Sourdif will return from illness, while Dylan McIlrath draws into the lineup following Vincent Desharnais’ appendectomy surgery.
The Capitals also have two new faces on the roster. Mitch Gibson, and his incredible bucket, are up from Hershey, while the team claimed defenseman Jack St. Ivany from the Winnipeg Jets this afternoon.
Puck drop is at 7 pm on Monumental Sports Network. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin have the call. Follow along below for live updates, highlights, analysis, and everything else from tonight’s game.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Buffalo Sabres
Tunnel Shenanigans
Goaltending matchup
1st Period
Tuch-Strome-Kyrou and Hutson-McIlrath get the start for the Capitals.
Puck is dropped.
Some pretty horrid man-to-man defense by the Ovechkin-Little Pro-Beauvillier line gives Quinn a lane to the net and an easy goal.
1-0 Buffalo Sabres
Goal: Jack Quinn (6). Assists: O. Zellweger (2), Z. Benson (7). Time: 6:27
Tyson Kozak crumples Dylan McIlrath to the ice with a bit hit along the end boards. You don’t see that much.
Strong take to the middle of the ice by Pierre-Luc Dubois. Caps can’t score on the rebound.
Jakob Chychrun skates the puck behind the net, reverses it right to the Sabres, and Doan takes a pass in front of the net and scores easily. What was that?!?!
2-0 Buffalo Sabres
Goal: Josh Doan (2). Assists: R. McLeod (2). Time: 10:36
To sum things up:
Here’s the story by the way.
Dylan McIlrath with a big hit on Beck Malenstyn. These two were former teammates on the Hershey Bears’ 2023 Calder cup championship team.
Tuch has a goal against his former team. He sends, what may have been a centering pass, that just bangs off a Sabres player and in. Ugly but effective!
2-1 Buffalo Sabres
Goal: Alex Tuch (6). Assists: J. Kyrou (5). Time: 16:10
Tuch’s “big dumb smile” makes an appearance!
Kyrou sets up Strome wide open in the center of the ice for a one-timer but Luukkonen makes a strong stop.
At intermission: Capitals trail 2-1. They lead in shots on goal 8-5.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Hutson springs Wilson on a breakaway. Wilson sends his his backhand wide.
Power play
Mattias Samuelsson slashing penalty on Tom Wilson at 0:55
One of the worst Capitals’ power plays of the year. Samuelsson comes out of the box, Caps keep it in the zone, Chychrun chunks it towards the net, and Strome grabs it just outside the crease and backhands it home.
2-2 tie
Goal: Dylan Strome (2). Assists: J. Kyrou (6), J. Chychrun (5). Time: 2:59
Per Locker, the Sabres have now been outscored in the second period this season 17-7.
Another strong take to the net by Jack Quinn, but his short-side shot is snagged out of the air by Josie- Charlie Lindgren’s glove. (It’s a long story.)
Sabres turn the puck over in front of the net, but Wilson can’t finish it.
Tom Wilson with a big hit on Olen Zellweger after the whistle for offsides. And we have a gathering.
McIlrath and Kozak having a conversation as they skate to the bench. It looks like a good one.
Power play
Olen Zellweger delay of game penalty at 14:46
Rotation play, Strome nearly tucks one through Luukkonen.
Zach Benson has a clear shorthanded breakaway, but is stopped on his backhand by Charlie Lindgren. Remember that save.
Dylan Strome scores his second of the night after a nice stop and start move by Justin Sourdif while forechecking.
3-2 Washington Capitals
Goal: Dylan Strome (3). Assists: J. Sourdif (1), M. Fehérváry (2). Time: 17:24
Soudif with a long stretch pass to give Aliaksei Protas a chance down the right wing.
Big save by Lindgren’s arm on Samuelsson who pinches in for a huge one-timer at the top of the circles.
At intermission: The Capitals, after a terrible start, lead 3-2. They lead in shots 23-14.
3rd Period
The Capitals are 4-0-0 this season when leading after two.
Puck is dropped.
Tage Thompson rips one hard off the crossbar and out.
Rasmus Sandin’s shot gets deflected by Tuch off the crossbar and out about 30 seconds later. It’s good to be lucky.
Sourdif using his speed well to negate an icing.
Buffalo dominating in the third period. Chance after chance.
And they tie it up. Caps scrambling bad like a fire drill with their man-to-man defense. Ostlund’s pass or shot (?) just deflects in.
3-3 tie
Goal: Noah Ostlund (3). Assists: O. Power (7), R. Dahlin (3). Time: 2:20
Penalty kill
Tom Wilson tripping penalty on Tage Thompson at 4:27
Alex Tuch nearly rips one home down the right wing on a short-handed two-on-two break.
Caps kill the penalty but immediately take another one – it’s tuch for slashing.
Penalty kill
Alex Tuch slashing penalty on Jason Zucker at 7:26
Caps kill the penalty.
Ovechkin-Strome-Protas have a dominant shift in the offensive zone off a faceoff win.
Ryan Leonard gets blasted by Gilbert after cutting to the middle of the nice. As the Caps dig for the loose puck, Gilbert cleans him out again and we have a scuffle.
Jakob Chychrun sends a clear off Aliaksei Protas’s chest. He’s down briefly. Thank god he’s fine.
Leonard through a counterhit way early, should have been interference, he gets high-sticked as Helenius goes down. Caps get a fortunate power play.
Power play
Konsta Helenius high-sticking penalty on Ryan Leonard at 13:59
At the end of regulation: The game is tied 3-3. Caps are outshooting the Sabres 31-20.
Overtime
Puck is dropped.
Buffalo playing a possession game to start it off.
Dylan Strome with some wizardry behind the net. Finds Alex Tuch in the slot wide open and he beats his former team in overtime. It’s his second goal of the night.
4-3 Washington Capitals
Goal: Alex Tuch (7) Assists:.D. Strome (6), J. Chychrun (6). Time: 3:42
Caps win in overtime 4-3.
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