The Washington Capitals (33-27-7) go up against a tough opponent on Thursday night. Thankfully, they were able to pull out a 2-1 upset win over the Buffalo Sabers (40-10-6).
It wasn't easy though, as the Capitals got off to a slow start. Sam Carrick got Buffalo on the board early as the Sabers looked for their ninth consecutive win.
However, the Capitals took the lead in the middle frame as Ryan Leonard tied it with a tally. The rookie now has goals in three consecutive games.
Charlie Lindgren was also impressive against a fiery Buffalo team. The 32-year-old netminder stopped shot after shot and finished with 29 saves.
“Again, the character of this team — just going out and continuing to fight,” Lindgren said. "It was fun to watch. I thought we played very well the last 40 minutes."
Late in regulation, the Capitals got just what they needed as Jacob Chykrun scored the game-winner with 1:33 remaining. Washington kept their playoff hopes alive as they handed Buffalo their first loss since Feb. 5.
After that, the Capitals will return home for a Saturday afternoon matchup against Boston.
capitals analysis
After a blowout 4-1 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday, the Capitals knew they would face a big test the next evening. Buffalo entered Thursday as one of the top teams in the NHL after years of futility.
The Sabers took the lead early and led 1–0 in the opening period. Former Capital Beck Malensteen skated in and slid the puck past Carrick in front for the tally.
Fortunately, Lindgren was able to shut out Buffalo the rest of the way. The netminder got the start after Logan Thompson played last night in Philadelphia.
The Capitals were also successful on the penalty kill late in the first. Olympic gold medalist Tage Thompson fired five consecutive one-timers, but none of them went in.
The second period is when the Capitals really started playing well. Trailing 1-0, Leonard skated up the ice with the puck and hit a wicked shot to tie it 1-1.
The 21-year-old registered his 14th goal of the season in the process. He extended his goal streak to three games and his point streak to five.
Due to the match being very competitive, the match remained tied at 1-1. After being outshot in the first two periods, the Capitals outscored Buffalo 13–4 in the third.
Then, with 1:33 left in regulation, Aliaksei Protas found a wide open chicron, who fired in for the game-winner. The 27-year-old now leads all NHL defensemen with 23 tallies and seven game-winning goals this season.
Additionally, Protas' assist proved to be the 100th assist of his career. The Russian forward now has 45 points this season.
capitals report card
Team: A-
Despite the slow start, the Capitals got the job done against a red-hot Buffalo team. They also kept their playoff hopes alive with an extra two points.
Charlie Lindgren: A
Lindgren was notable between the pipes as he stopped 29 of 30 shots. The 32-year-old made several key saves to hold off the Sabres.
Jacob Chykrun:A
Chicrun came up in the clutch with the game-winning goal at the end of regulation. The blueliner now has 23 goals on the season.
Ryan Leonard: A
Leonard continued his hot streak and equalized in the second period. The 21-year-old player registered his 14th goal this year.
