NHL Update: Washington Capitals snuck past Buffalo Sabres, 2-1
Marcus Johansson recorded the game-winning goal in the final stanza, as Washington Capitals exploded for a 2-1 victory against Buffalo Sabres, at HSBC Arena on Sunday.
Mathieu Perreault also netted a goal and had an assist for Washington, which had dropped four of five coming into the contest. Semyon Varlamov made 28 saves for the victors.
"You can get frustrated sometimes on the power play, especially when you're not scoring," said Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau. "We had to persevere if we were going to succeed. You need some luck, too, but if you put enough pucks on the net
you're going to score."
Jason Pominville was the lone scorer and Ryan Miller turned away 37 shots for Buffalo, which has lost its previous three play-offs.
"When you take too many penalties you're going to lose. They didn't have much going on 5-on-5 and we put ourselves in a tough position." said Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff.
Miller blocked the first 21 shots he faced, 16 in the opening period alone. He was particularly sharp on Washington’s 1:35 power play, when he beat Nicklas Backstrom twice.
Ovechkin scored the first goal when he ripped a shot from the left point that caromed off two defensemen in front. Backstrom got his stick on it and let go a shot from the right side of the net. Miller got across and
stopped the puck with his glove. A minute later, Backstrom brought the puck to the right of the net and took his chance, missing the open side and instead hitting the puck into Miller's leg.
Washington drew first blood for 1-0 lead just six minutes into the middle frame thanks to a fortuitous bounce. It happened so when Matt Hendricks slipped the puck into the Sabres end down the right wing and it bounced off the back boards. The
puck then came out front and Miller got his blocker out in time to stop it, but Perreault fired a shot that deflected in off Johansson as he was crossing the crease.
Sabres knotted the scoring at 1-1 less than three minutes later on the power play, as Pominville slammed a shot from the slot to beat Varlamov for his 14th goal of the season.
Washington was given a power play when Shaone Morrisonn was whistled for interference nearly nine minutes into the final session.
Perreault carried the puck into the Sabres end through the middle and from the right circle let go a shot on net. Miller saved it, but the rebound trickled out to the left and Johansson jammed it home to seal the win at 2-1.
Varlamov made 11 saves in the last period to secure the win.
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