Capitals Tie Sabres

Todd Warriner dished out two assists to lead the Washington Capitals to a 3-3 tie with the Buffalo Sabres on Day 123. The result moves Washington to 25-27-10 and keeps the team in the thick of the playoff hunt.

The Capitals took an early lead when Jonathan Cheechoo scored his 15th of the season from Greg Watson and Warriner at 9:37 of the first period. Neither team scored for the rest of the opening 20 minutes and they combined for just 14 shots.

Buffalo turned it up in the second period, and two goals in the first 9:46 gave the visitors the lead. Lydman scored the first from Jackman and Gagne at 4:38, before LeClair netted his 20th from Markov and Rafalski at 9:46. Washington battled back to tie the game just over two minutes later on the power play. With Mara ejected for elbowing, Anson Carter scored from Warriner and Sarich to make it 2-2. The Sabres came back to regain the lead late in the second on Polushin's unassisted goal at 17:13.

Trailing 3-2 entering the final period, Washington needed a goal to get back in the game, and Andrew Ference came up with the goods. The defender blasted a shot past the keeper from Artem Chubarov and Peter Tenkrat on the power play at 10:02. The Caps fired 19 shots on the Buffalo net in the third, but Ference's goal was the only marker.

Manny Legace made 28 saves for Washington. Marc Denis stopped 33 shots for the Sabres.

The Capitals are back in action on Day 124 in Vancouver.