The power play was Washington's first of the game, the result of a goalie interference call against Kyle Okposo with 11:17 remaining. Okposo appeared to be pushed into Philipp Grubauer by linemate Zemgus Girgensons, who was pushed from behind by Washington forward Tom Wilson.
"I totally disagree with the call," Sabres coach Phil Housley said. "He's trying to go hard to the net, which we want our guys to do, and he gets pushed into the goalie. [The official] said that he made no move to get out of the crease, but when you've got two guys pushing on him, it's hard to get out of there."
The Sabres came into the contest having earned at least a point in each of their last six road games, with a 5-0-1 record in that span. They had scored the first goal in five of those games, which Housley stressed as a crucial aspect to their success.
It was the Capitals who struck first on Saturday, and it took them less than a minute to do so. Evgeny Kuznetsov carried the puck into the neutral zone, got by Jason Pominville as he cut across the net and scored just 50 seconds into the game.
"I've got to have the first one," Pominville said. "That's on me. I think I've just got to skate with him and not try to get the puck. I think I tried at least two times to get the puck and he kept getting my stick."
The Sabres did eventually respond and generate some offense, but Housley felt it took too long. The Capitals' speed burned them again in the second period, this time when Andre Burakovsky went end-to-end and through four defenders before beating Lehner with a backhand shot.
"There were some guys who weren't ready to play tonight," Housley said. "It was obvious right from the drop of the puck."
Sam Reinhart scored to cut the deficit in half just 14 seconds into the third period, battling to drive to the net and burying a shot off his backhand. The goal was Reinhart's 14th of the season and his 19th point in 18 games.