Ovechkin leads Caps atop the Eastern Conference

The Washington Capitals are back where they were last year, the very top of the Eastern Conference.

Alex Ovechkin fired a game winning goal in overtime, that bounced off two Buffalo Sabres and past Sabres rookie net minder Jhonas Enroth to lead the Capitals to a 5-4 over time win.  The win gave the Caps 103 standing points, 1 above the Philadelphia Flyers.  The Caps have won 3 of their last 4.

Caps took a very early lead just 37 seconds into the game when Mike Knuble took a rebound form a John Carlson shot to give the Caps the marker.  It was goal number 22 for Knuble, assisted by Ovechkin and Carlson.  Three minutes later, the Caps struck again, with Alexander Semin punching through a puck laying underneath Enroth from a Nicklas Backstrom shot.  Backstrom and Marco Sturm had the helpers.   Buffalo quickly called a time out, falling behind 2-0 in within the first five minutes.  It was a well timed time out.  Buffalo responded with two of their own tallies in the first period, goals by Thomas Vanek and Drew Stafford to end both clubs to the locker room with a 2-2 tie at the end of the first period.  Washington out shot Buffalo 14-11.

The Caps and Sabres skated to a scoreless draw in the second period as well as both clubs putting to 11 shots to the net.

The Caps and Sabres put up 4 goals in the third period.  All came within a 7 minute time frame.  Buffalo struck first with Paul Gaustad goal at the 12:35 mark to give the Sabres their first lead of the game, 3-2.  The lead lasted less than two minutes when Mike Knuble struck for his second goal of the game, to tie it up at 3-3.  It was goal number 23 for the red hot Knuble, assisted by Brooks Laich and Backstrom.   The red hot Knuble has not scored 8 goals in his last 10 games.  Drew Stafford scored his second of the game and 30th of the season to give Buffalo a late third period lead.  The marker came at the 16:39 mark.  AS time ticked away, Washington pulled Michal Neuvirth form the net, brought on the extra attacker, and Jason Arnott delivered his 400th career goal at the 19:08 mark to knot the game up at 4-4.  Arnott put in a rebound from an Ovechkin shot to send the game to overtime.

Ovechkin delivered the game winner in OT, a shot that was actually off the mark, but bounced off two Sabres and stunning Enroth.

Michal Neuvirth grabbed his 26th win of the season stopping 34 of 38 shots on goal.

Multi-Point Scorers:

Nicklas Backstrom, 3 assists

John Carlson, 2 assists

Mike Knuble, 2 goals

Alex Ovechkin, 1 goal, 2 assists

Alexander Semin, 1 goal, 1 assist

DCPSR Player of the Game:

MIKE KNUBLE