Archives for 2015

Islanders-Sabres Preview (AP)
Sabres could be without Ennis against Islanders (NHL.com)
Preview: Islanders at Sabres (NewYorkIslanders.com)

‘With the game tied, 2-2, in the third period the teams exchanged a series of penalties, giving the Sabres a 4-on-3 advantage. They had numerous chances to score. They didn’t.’

‘“For me, it’s the same way. For my own sake, I can’t really change my game with different teams,” Johnson said. “I just try to prepare the same way with what I want to do, how I want to go into a game and where I want to be in certain positions. With any team, you watch power play, penalty kill and end zone stuff so I’m more prepared for different teams in that sense with what to expect with their game plan. But other than that, my game stays the same.”’

‘The Caps are 15-3-1 at Verizon Center this year, tying the Dallas Stars for most home wins in the NHL. Washington has won nine straight at home, outscoring opponents 33-17 in that span.’

Evgeny Kuznetsov sparks rally as Capitals earn painful 5-2 win over Sabres (Washington Post)
Jay Beagle to have surgery, will be out ‘extended period of time’ (Washington Post)
Backstrom, Beagle injured in Caps’ win over Sabres (AP)
Kuznetsov’s heroics spark comeback win for shorthanded Caps (CSN Mid Atlantic)
Beagle sidelined for ‘extended period of time’ (CSN Mid Atlantic)
Caps lose Backstrom, Beagle but still win 9th straight (CSN Mid Atlantic)
Number nine, number nine (WashingtonCaps.com)
Postgame notes, stats and quotes, 12/30 (WashingtonCaps.com)
Photo gallery (WashingtonCaps.com)
Photo gallery (Sabres.com)

‘”I think we sagged after the power-play goal,” Bylsma said. “That was the difference in the game, really.”‘

‘”We gave it to them,” Girgensons said. “We made way too many mistakes in the whole game (and) that’s one team that you can’t give that many opportunities to score. They’ve got guys who can put the puck in.”‘

‘Buffalo tried to weather the proverbial storm that the Capitals threw at them to start the third period, but it proved to be too much. Alex Ovechkin took a nifty pass right at the front of the net and did not miss. This was just moments after Zach Bogosian preserved the Sabres lead by sweeping the puck off of the goal line and away from the net.’

‘Sabres forward Tyler Ennis sustained an upper-body injury in the second period and did not return.’

‘”They come out and they’re a skilled team,” Sabres forward Jack Eichel said. “We’ve got to be better in our own zone as a whole, harder to play against. [We had] a couple costly turnovers and you can’t turn the puck over to a team like that.”‘