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Caps fall to Sabres, 5-4 (OT), but win division

By Brian McNally
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A night of celebration ended with a thud at Verizon Center on Friday night.

The Capitals may have clinched their second consecutive Southeast Division title, receiving a standing ovation from yet another sellout crowd.

Caps notes» The Caps clinched the Southeast Division championship for the second year in a row. It is the fifth division title in team history.» Buffalo forward Tim Connolly had the primary assist on each of his team’s final three goals.» Washington hosted its 28th sellout of the year. A total of 723,715 fans have attended a game at Verizon Center this season. The previous record was 710,990 in 2001-02. » Friday’s game was the 28th sellout of the season. » Caps F Alex Ovechkin recorded his 218th career goal with the team. That first-period tally tied Mike Ridley for third-place all time in franchise history. » Ovechkin also extended his point-scoring streak to seven games (six goals, nine assists). » F David Steckel was excellent in the faceoff circle. He had 16 wins, tying the team-high for this season. It was the second game in a row a Caps player has won 16 and third time this year.

But a 5-4 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres left little room for joy in a somber dressing room afterwards. Their aim is far higher than that now.

Buffalo forward Tim Connolly perfectly read a cross-ice pass by Sergei Fedorov in the extra period and found teammate Jason Pominville in open ice. He then slipped the puck past Caps goalie Simeon Varlamov for the victory.

The Sabres exploded off their bench. Because, as nice as a win would have been for Washington, which clinched the division as soon as regulation ended, Buffalo’s season was all but over with a loss. The Caps tried their best to match that desperation. 

“Winning [the Southeast title] is not our goal,” said Caps coach Bruce Boudreau. “Before the season started we said we were going to win and we have one goal in mind. And we aren’t there yet.”

Playoff hopes are still a longshot for the Sabres (38-30-9, 85 points). But they also have an extra game left on the eighth-place New York Rangers (89 points) and ninth-place Florida Panthers (87 points).

“We’re battling for our lives,” Pominville said.

The last remaining goal within reach for Washington (47-23-8, 102 points) is securing the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff chase. Third-place New Jersey (100 points) beat Tampa Bay, also 5-4 in overtime, to pull within two points of the Caps. Both teams have four games remaining.

“Obviously, we’re happy to clinch the division, but disappointed with the outcome of the game,” said Caps forward Matt Bradley. “I thought we played a pretty good game tonight. It was a playoff atmosphere.”

The Sabres overcame deficits of 1-0, 3-2 and 4-3, tying the game at 10 minutes, 21 seconds of the third period on a goal by forward Maxim Afinogenov.

Caps forward Alex Ovechkin scored the first of three power-play goals for Washington in the first period. Fedorov had a bizarre night. He took two penalties — one of which led to a Buffalo goal — had the overtime giveaway yet also scored two goals in a game for the second time this season.

Caps goalie Simeon Varlamov made some smart stops and was the victim of a little bad luck — the first three Buffalo goals all caromed off various players. Varlamov lost for the first time this season. He finished with 25 saves on 30 shots. Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller had 33 saves.

“I think everything evens out,” Boudreau said. “Connolly misses a wide open shot so then one goes in off our foot…Yes, they were tough breaks. But when you win you make your own.”