Ovechkin seals Shootout win over Sabres (12-15-18)
By: Ryan Fowler
Headline Graphic Credit: Darrell Owens-LMS Network
WASHINGTON – Alex Ovechkin extended his point streak to an NHL career-high 14 games with the tying goal and then decided the shootout for the Washington Capitals in a 4-3 win against the Buffalo Sabres at Capital One Arena on Saturday.
Ovechkin, who was trying to become the first NHL player with a hat trick in three straight games, has scored at least one goal in six straight and has 29 this season.
“Yeah, I [had] pretty good chances today,” Ovechkin said. “It would be nice to get another hatty or whatever. But nothing you can do about it.”
Washington (20-9-3) has won five in a row and 12 of 14, including two straight by shootout. Pheonix Copley made 26 saves.
Jack Eichel scored twice, and Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and two assists for Buffalo (19-9-5), which had won two straight. Carter Hutton made 35 saves.
“I think we won the special teams battle, but we just didn’t win the hockey game,” Sabres coach Phil Housley said. “I thought our rush coverage was a little off tonight. They have a terrific rush team, and they got a lot of chances off it.”
TWIZZLING THE TWINE
The Sabres took a 1-0 lead at 2:41 of the first period when Eichel scored on a rebound as a Buffalo power play ended.
Buffalo scored on its other two power plays; Washington was 0-for-3. The Capitals allowed three power-play goals to the Carolina Hurricanes in a 6-5 win Friday.
“That’s not a winning recipe for success, to give up three last night and then two and one at the end tonight,” Capitals coach Todd Reirden said. “It’s an area that we’ve got to work on here while we’ve got some practice time this week before we play [the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday].”
Washington tied it 1-1 at 3:39 of the first. Hutton misplayed a puck behind his net, and Devante Smith-Pelly got it and passed in front to Brett Connolly for the tip in.
Jakub Vrana gave Washington a 2-1 lead on a one-timer from the high slot at 9:41.
The Sabres took a 3-2 lead with second-period power-play goals by Eichel at 2:25 and Dahlin at 7:21.
Ovechkin tied it 3-3 at 13:46 with a shot from the top of the right circle. He has 23 points (17 goals, six assists) during his point streak.
“He’s a bull out there. It seems like he keeps getting better and better every year,” Connolly said. “Such a hungriness to score goals. He’s having a [heck] of a season and it doesn’t look like he’s going to slow down.”
POWER PLAY
Evgeny Kuznetsov scored for Washington in the shootout; Casey Mittelstadt scored for Buffalo. Kuznetsovhad an assist on Vrana’s goal to extend his point streak to eight games (one goal, nine assists). … The Sabresplayed the third period and overtime with five defensemen after Nathan Beaulieu left in the second period with an undisclosed injury. … Buffalo defenseman Marco Scandella played 23:33 after missing eight games with an upper-body injury. … Ovechkin’s other 13-game streak was from Jan. 1-Feb. 1, 2007 (eight goals, 12 assists). … Dahlin (18 years, 246 days) is the fifth youngest defenseman to get three points in an NHL game. Craig Wolanin of the New Jersey Devils was the youngest (18 years, 135 days). … Connolly has seven points (three goals, four assists) in his past seven games.
UP NEXT
Sabres: At the Capitals on Saturday (Dec 22.)
Capitals: Host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday (12-19-18)
