Buffalo Sabres (10-25-7, eighth in the East Division) vs. Washington Capitals (28-11-4, first in the East Division)
Washington; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Washington will try to keep its three-game win streak alive when the Capitals take on Buffalo.
The Capitals are 28-11-4 against the rest of their division. Washington has scored 150 goals and ranks second in the NHL averaging 3.5 per game. Alex Ovechkin leads the team with 22.
The Sabres are 10-25-7 against East Division teams. Buffalo serves 6.3 penalty minutes per game, the fewest in the league. Rasmus Ristolainen leads them averaging 0.7.
In their last meeting on April 9, Washington won 4-3.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nicklas Backstrom leads the Capitals with 44 points, scoring 14 goals and collecting 30 assists. T.J. Oshie has seven goals over the last 10 games for Washington.
Jack Eichel leads the Sabres with 16 total assists and has 18 points. Casey Mittelstadt has five goals over the last 10 games for Buffalo.
LAST 10 GAMES: Capitals: 6-4-0, averaging 3.8 goals, 6.8 assists, 3.6 penalties and 9.7 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game with a .900 save percentage.
Sabres: 4-3-3, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.1 assists, 3.1 penalties and 6.8 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game with a .916 save percentage.
INJURIES: Capitals: Michal Kempny: out (lower body).
Sabres: Carter Hutton: out (lower body), Jake McCabe: out (knee), Will Borgen: out (forearm), Jack Eichel: out (upper body), Linus Ullmark: day to day (undisclosed).
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