Storylines
1. A Powerful third period
Buffalo’s late comeback bid fell short in Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Rangers, but not for a lack of scoring opportunities.
The Sabres scored twice in the period – Owen Power at 5-on-5, Tage Thompson at 6-on-5 in the final minute. According to Natural Stat Trick, Buffalo held a 12-2 advantage in third-period scoring chances and 7-2 in high-danger scoring chances.
“With the number of opportunities in the third period, you should really score three or four goals,” Ruff said. “We have to start finishing more. That is, the inside plays that we were making, getting around the net and just hitting the net more on key opportunities. We're still a team that misses the net too much.”
Power, benched for much of the opening period after his failed clear led to New York’s first goal, returned to the ice and led the Sabres’ late attack.
Buffalo owned a 62.5-percent share of shot attempts with Power on the ice Wednesday; in that regard, it was the 22-year-old’s most effective game since Nov. 23 at San Jose (65.7 percent).
“I thought Owen, his second half of the game was fantastic,” Ruff said.
“Just his puck play – his puck play and his reads to get available. He took one to the net that led to chaos where he had a couple opportunities. Some of his offensive physicality, like boxing people out and taking the puck up high for us, were really good.”
On Power’s goal, his fourth of the season and first since Nov. 1, he received a short Peyton Krebs pass at the blue line, skated into the slot and fired a shot off the post and in behind Igor Shesterkin.
Continued offensive involvement from Power and more on-target shots from the entire team will be key for Buffalo to not only drive play more consistently, but also convert those prime scoring chances into goals.
2. Welcome back, Beck
For the first time, Malenstyn will face the team that drafted him in the fifth round in 2015.
The first-year Sabre played 105 games for Washington from 2019 to 2024, including 81 – with a team-leading 241 hits – last season.
“From being drafted there, working my way up from the American League, nothing but great things to say about the entire organization,” Malenstyn said. “They treated me extremely well – players, staff, management … it was a great place to be, and I have a lot of fond memories from there and [AHL] Hershey, so I’m excited to be back.”
Saturday also marks a return for Malenstyn’s linemate Nicolas Aube-Kubel, who played the last two seasons in Washington.
The two wingers, standouts on Buffalo’s fourth line of late, logged 583 minutes of ice time together with the Capitals from 2022-24.
3. Scouting the Capitals
Washington remains without Alex Ovechkin, who fractured his left fibula on Nov. 18 amidst a scorching-hot stretch.
Still, the Capitals enter Saturday with a three-game winning streak and boast the Eastern Conference’s best record (20-6-2) thanks to a deep roster featuring several impactful offseason additions – Jacob Chychrun, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane and Logan Thompson, among others.
They’ve scored 3.96 goals per game, tied with Tampa Bay for the NHL lead. And they’ve allowed 2.68 per game, seventh best in the NHL, aided by a fourth-ranked penalty kill (83.5%).
Forward Dylan Strome leads Washington with 27 assists and 36 points. Connor McMichael, with 15 goals and 26 points, is already approaching his career highs of 18 and 33. Tom Wilson has complemented his signature physicality with 11 goals and 11 assists.
Chychrun, never hesitant to unleash his heavy shot, ranks third among NHL defensemen with eight goals. He and veteran John Carlson (20 points) generate steady offense from the point and run Washington’s two power-play units.
“It’s going to be a great challenge for us going in there to take on a team that’s scoring from all four lines,” Malenstyn said. “Really gives us a great chance to put our best foot forward and understand that responsibility every time we step over the boards.”
With goalie Charlie Lindgren regressing after carrying Washington to the playoffs last season, Thompson has emerged as the Capitals’ No. 1 netminder; acquired from Vegas this summer, Thompson owns an 11-1-2 record and .913 save percentage.
Buffalo went 2-1 versus the Capitals in their 2023-24 season series, including outscoring Washington a combined 10-4 in two April wins. Buffalo is 4-0-2 in their matchups over the last two seasons.
