BUFFALO SABRES NOTES:
LAST GAME
Sunday, Jan. 1
Buffalo 1 at Ottawa 3
Goal: Girgensons
Goalie: Anderson (30 saves/32 shots; 1 ENG)
PP: 0/3; PK: 0/1; Shots: Buffalo 34 – Ottawa 33
CURRENT INJURIES – (Man Games Lost: 96)
Player (injury, first game missed) – total games missed
Eric Comrie (Lower body, Nov. 19; IR) – 19 games
Henri Jokiharju (Lower body, Dec. 10; IR) – 9 games
TRANSACTIONS IN PAST SEVEN DAYS
12/29: Activated D Jacob Bryson from injured reserve; Placed D Lawrence Pilut on waivers
12/30: Loaned D Lawrence Pilut to the Rochester Americans (AHL)
12/31: Loaned G Eric Comrie to the Rochester Americans (AHL) for a conditioning assignment
UPCOMING GAMES
Saturday, Jan. 7: Minnesota at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 9: Philadelphia at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 10: Seattle at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 12: Winnipeg at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 14: Buffalo at Nashville, 8 p.m.
TONIGHT’S GAME
SABRES AT CAPITALS
• This is the first of three meetings between the Sabres and Capitals this season.
• Last meeting: Washington defeated Buffalo 4-3 in a shootout in Buffalo on March 25, 2022.
• Next meeting: Sunday, Feb 26, 2023 in Buffalo.
• The Sabres are 2-5-3 in their last 10 games against the Capitals; 2-5-3 on the road.
• This is the 175th game all-time between Buffalo and Ottawa; Buffalo has a 92-58-24 series record.
• The Sabres are 43-31-13 on the road against the Capitals all-time.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
• Buffalo has earned a point in three of its last four games against Washington.
• Ilya Lyubushkin has recorded at least one point in each of his last two games, tallying two assists in that span.
• A point in tonight’s game would give Lyubushkin his first point streak of three or more games.
• Zemgus Girgensons has three points (1+2) in his last three games.
• Alex Tuch has notched 28 points (10+18) in his last 20 games.
• Kyle Okposo owns five points (4+1) in his last five games.
• Tage Thompson has recorded 48 points (26+22) in his last 28 games.
• Dylan Cozens has tallied 26 points (8+18) in his last 22 games.
• Rasmus Dahlin has recorded 21 points (3+18) in his last 20 games.
• In his last 13 games, Jeff Skinner has recorded 24 points (12+12).
THAT’S CAP
• Buffalo has held Washington without a power-play goal in five of the last six meetings, going 12-for-13 (92.3 percent) on the penalty kill during that span.
• The Sabres also scored one shorthanded goal during that span.
• Victor Olofsson has recorded a point in each of his last four road games against the Capitals (3+1).
• Casey Mittelstadt is riding a three-game point streak against Washington and has recorded three points (2+1) in that span.
• If they play, tonight’s game will mark the first time Buffalo’s three rookie skaters (JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn, Owen Power) have skated in a game against Washington.
• In his only start against the Capitals in his career on Dec. 11, 2021, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 40 saves on 42 Washington shots
WASHINGTON CAPITALS NOTES:
LAST GAME
Washington 9, Montreal Canadiens 2
December 31, 2022 * Capital One Arena * Washington, D.C.
Shots: WSH: 40; MTL: 33
Power Plays: WSH: 2/4; MTL: 1/2
Three Stars: 1. Ovechkin (WSH), 2. Gustafsson (WSH), 3. Johansson (WSH)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Loaned defenseman Lucas Johansen to AHL Hershey, 12/30
Loaned forward Beck Malenstyn to AHL Hershey, 12/28
Recalled defenseman Lucas Johansen to AHL Hershey, 12/27
INJURIES/ILLNESSES
Nicklas Backstrom: 10/12/22-12/31/22 (39 games)
Carl Hagelin: 10/12/22-12/31/22 (39 games)
Tom Wilson: 10/12/22-12/31/22 (39 games)
Connor Brown: 10/20/22-12/31/22 (35 games)
T.J. Oshie: 10/31/22-11/19/22, 12/19/22-12/31/22 (17 games)
John Carlson: 10/31/22-11/9/22, 12/27/22-12/31/22 (9 games)
Dmitry Orlov: 11/7/22-12/9/22 (16 games)
Erik Gustafsson: 12/11/22 (1 game)
Lars Eller: 12/13/22 (1 game)
Sonny Milano: 12/15/22 (1 game)
Washington Capitals: Media Notes
Darcy Kuemper: 12/5/22-12/17/22 (7 games)
Nic Dowd: 12/17/22 (1 game)
Hunter Shepard: 12/17/22 (1 game)
Alex Alexeyev: 12/11/22-12/19/22 (5 games)
Beck Malenstyn: 11/3/22-12/27/22 (26 games)
Martin Fehervary: 12/5/22-12/29/22 (12 games)
Man Games Lost: 249
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Jan. 5, 7 p.m. ET at Columbus (ESPN, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
Jan. 6, 7 p.m. ET vs. Nashville (NBCSW, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
Jan. 8, 5 p.m. ET vs. Columbus (NBCSW, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
Jan. 11, 7 p.m. ET at Philadelphia (NBCSW+, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
Jan. 14, 7 p.m. ET vs. Philadelphia (NBCSW, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
TONIGHT’S GAME
The Capitals host the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday at Capital One Arena for the first of three meetings between the teams this season. Washington is 67-85-15-7 all-time vs. Buffalo and 12-2-2 in their last 16 games against the Sabres dating back to the 2018-19 season. In addition, the Capitals are 10-1-1 in their last 12 games against Buffalo at Capital One Arena. In 2021-22, Washington swept the season series with Buffalo 3-0-0, winning in the shootout in the two most recent contests. Alex Ovechkin (2g, 3a) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (0g, 5a) led the Capitals with five points against the Sabres last season. In 59 career games vs. Buffalo, Ovechkin has recorded 61 points (37g, 24a). Ovechkin’s 37 goals against the Sabres are the most among active players, while his 60 points are the third most.
HOME vs. BUFFALO SABRES
Record Goals For Goals Against Streak
35-39-9-4 243 275 1 WSH win (11/8/21)
CAPITALS vs. SABRES ALL-TIME (Career Totals)
Games Goals Assists Points
Ovechkin (59) Ovechkin (37) Backstrom (26) Ovechkin (61)
Backstrom (51) Backstrom (13) Ovechkin (24) Backstrom (39)
Eller (50) Johansson (12) Kuznetsov/Oshie (16) Oshie (21)
TOP CAPS FACTS
Goals Galore
- The Capitals scored a season-high nine goals on Saturday vs. Montreal.
- The 9-2 victory marked the team’s largest win differential in a game this season.
- Washington’s +19 goal differential ranks 10th in the NHL, through games played Jan. 1. On Dec. 1, the Capitals had a goal differential of -9, which ranked 21st.
- The Capitals have scored three or more goals in 12 of their last 13 games and have allowed two or fewer goals in 10 of their last 13, dating back to Dec. 5.
- The Capitals are 21-1-2 this season when scoring three or more goals.
- This season, Washington ranks seventh in the NHL in goals for (127), through games played Jan. 1.
