East's best, worst meet as Capitals take on Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres return home from a trip out west and face a tough test against the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals on Monday night.

Washington has 55 points, 22 ahead of last-place Buffalo, which went 1-2-1 on its trip and has lost three straight (0-2-1) after winning three in row.

The Capitals are 5-2-1 in their past eight games after a 7-4 win against the visiting New York Rangers on Saturday.

Dylan Strome had a goal and two assists and Alex Ovechkin, Andrew Mangiapane and Tom Wilson each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals. Jakob Chychrun and Martin Fehervary both had two assists and Logan Thompson made 29 saves.

"It just shows how good of a lineup we have top to bottom," said Connor McMichael, one of seven goal scorers Saturday. "We don't have one or two guys carrying the load. It's been guys on the back end, on the fourth line, first line, whatever is. It's been huge. It's a credit to them and why we're winning so many games."

Washington's defense is chipping in, too, totaling 20 goals through 39 games this season after netting 20 in all of 2023-24.

And then there's Ovechkin, who enters Monday 23 goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL record of 894. Ovechkin has scored in four of five games since returning from a fractured left fibula that caused him to miss 16 games. He has 19 goals in 23 games this season.

"To be honest with you, I feel every game better," Ovechkin said. "Touches, skating-wise. I'll take it and we'll move on."

Goalie Charlie Lindgren is expected to start and will look to stop a distressing streak for he and Thompson. In each of the last two games a puck misplay by a Capitals goalie has led to an opponent's first-period goal.

Buffalo closed out its road trip with a 3-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday. Jason Zucker scored in his fourth consecutive game and James Reimer made 30 saves in his first start since Dec. 21.

"I think we care," Reimer said. "I think we've got character in this room. Maybe sometimes the execution isn't there, but I like a lot about this group and unfortunately sometimes you don't have your best."

Zucker's power-play goal came with 2:18 left to play.

"We pushed," captain Rasmus Dahlin said of the late success. "Every time we don't think, we just play with instincts. And, I mean, the compete. The compete is the main thing. Win battles, keep it simple, win battles again. Pucks to the net. That's the stuff that works and we have to understand that's what we have to do."

Zucker's goal was his 15th this season, surpassing the season total he reached in 69 games with Arizona and Nashville last season.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will likely be in the net when Buffalo opens a five-game stretch that features only one road game, a short trip to Ottawa.

Washington has been solid on the road, going 13-6-0. Buffalo is 7-10-3 at home.

Wilson scored twice and Strome had the game-winning tally when the Capitals beat the Sabres 4-2 on Dec. 14 in Washington.

--Field Level Media