Buffalo’s Sabres emerged victorious in their final home game of the season, defeating the Washington Capitals 4-2 on Thursday night. The win served as a spoiler for the Capitals’ playoff hopes, as they dropped to 1-5-2 in their last seven games.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was a key factor in the Sabres’ victory, stopping 22 shots. Alex Tuch, Zach Benson, Jack Quinn, and Dylan Cozens scored for Buffalo, while Connor McMichael and Tom Wilson found the net for Washington.
The Sabres took an early lead when Benson deflected in Jeff Skinner’s shot with just over a minute remaining in the first period. Tuch extended the lead in the second period, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by the Capitals.
McMichael responded for Washington, but Quinn restored the Sabres’ two-goal advantage with a creative move to get around Nick Jensen and score from the slot. Wilson brought the Capitals within one with a goal late in the third period, but Cozens sealed the victory with an empty-netter.
The Capitals’ struggles continued, as they failed to score three or more goals for the eighth consecutive game. Charlie Lindgren allowed three goals on 16 shots, while Luukkonen’s strong performance helped the Sabres secure the win.
The Sabres will close out their season with games at Florida on Saturday and Tampa Bay on Monday. The Capitals have three games remaining, starting with a home matchup against Tampa Bay on Saturday.
