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Caps hope for another offensive explosion, battle Sabres

Wed 5th, March 2008

(Sports Network) - The Washington Capitals will try to carry over some momentum from an amazing offensive display in their last game, as they visit the Buffalo Sabres for tonight's contest at HSBC Arena.

The Capitals won for the third time in four outings Monday night, as they destroyed the Boston Bruins, 10-2, at the Verizon Center.

Alexander Ovechkin recorded the fifth hat trick of his career to reach the 50- goal mark on the season and added two assists as Washington dominated the visiting Bruins, who had won six straight before the blowout.

Nicklas Backstrom added a goal and three assists, Matt Bradley had two goals and an assist, and Brooks Laich scored twice for the Capitals.

Cristobal Huet started the game in net and allowed two goals on 22 shots in two periods of work, but left the game with an apparent back injury. Olaf Kolzig played the third period and stopped all five shots he faced.

The win gives Washington 70 points on the season, bringing the team three points behind Carolina for first place in the Southeast Division. Also, the Capitals trail Philadelphia by four points for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Ovechkin, who notched his third hat trick of the season, now has 90 points (52 goals, 38 assists) on the year, which leads the league and is just one point better than Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin. Ovechkin is also trying to become the league's first 60-goal scorer since both Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr reached the plateau in the 1995-96 campaign.

The Capitals are playing the first of two straight on the road and are 14-14-5 as the visiting club this year. Washington has dropped three of its last five tests away from D.C.

The Sabres, meanwhile, picked up a big win in their quest for a playoff spot Tuesday, as they posted a win in Philadelphia. With the victory, Buffalo moved within one point of the Flyers for the eighth seed in the East.

Maxim Afinogenov registered two goals and an assist, as the Sabres downed the Flyers, 5-2, at the Wachovia Center.

Jason Pominville scored two goals for the Sabres and extended his point streak to nine games, which is the longest current stretch in the NHL. Pominville has six goals and five helpers during the tear.

Henrik Tallinder collected two assists before he left the game with a shoulder injury. Steve Bernier added two helpers, while Ryan Miller stopped 19-of-21 shots to earn his 30th win of the season.

Buffalo is 3-0 against the Caps this year and has won six straight, nine of 10 and 13 of the last 15 meetings in the series. The Sabres, who have outscored Washington, 72-37, over the last 15 encounters, are trying for their first season sweep of the Caps since 2003-04.

The Sabres have also won six straight, seven of eight and eight of their previous 11 home tilts against Washington.

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