Frustration and Injuries Continue In 3-1 Loss

When will it stop? The Sabres have battled injuries all season long, and suffered another loss on Friday night.

Christian Ehrhoff left the game with an upper-body injury and did not return as Washington defeated Buffalo 3-1. The Sabres defenseman was one of just five players who had played in every game this season. Jason Pominville, Derek Roy, Thomas Vanek and Luke Adam are the only other ones to play in all 37 games.

Alexander Ovechkin started the scoring the scoring in the 1st period, and finished it in the third. In the 1st period, he scored inadvertently after a pass deflected off of a Sabres stick and into the Buffalo net.

The Sabres found themselves trailing after the opening period and they only recorded two shots on goal in the first 20 minutes.

The second period was a much better effort by the Sabres even though Washington scored to increase its lead.

The Capitals top line made the Sabres defense look silly as Nicklas Backstrom tapped in the 2nd Capitals goal after a tic-tac-toe play.

Down 2-0 on the road, the Sabres didn’t quit.

Jochen Hecht finally got the Sabres on the board in the second period after knocking in a rebound. It was his fourth goal of the season. On the goal, Vanek extended his point streak to seven games with an assist.

The great eight connected again in the third period, putting a dagger into the heart of Buffalo. The Sabres were applying heavy pressure in the 2nd half of the game, but couldn’t capitalize.

The Capitals improved to 10-0 when Ovechkin and Semin both record a point this season.

With the loss, the Sabres fall to 1-15-1 when trailing after two periods and have now lost five consecutive road games.

Ryan Miller stopped 18 of 21 shots in the loss. At the other end, Tomas Vokoun allowed one goal on 26 shots as his team sent the Sabres home with zero points.

The Sabres will head home to face Ottawa Saturday night at the First Niagara Center. Faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.