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Sabres set for rematch with Capitals

Nov 17, 2010 - 4:15 PM (Sports Network) - The Buffalo Sabres have made a habit of winning close games lately and tonight they'll take on one of their recent victims for the second time in less than a week.

The Sabres posted a 3-2 overtime victory over a visiting Washington team on Saturday and will now face the mighty Capitals this evening at the Verizon Center in D.C.

Buffalo has gone past regulation in five straight games and has a 4-0-1 record over that span. After earning Saturday's win over the Caps, the Sabres picked up their second straight victory on Monday with a 4-3 overtime triumph over visiting Vancouver.

Tyler Myers was the hero for Buffalo on Monday, as the young defenseman scored the game-winning goal against the Canucks with 23 seconds left in overtime.

Tied at the end of regulation, Buffalo killed off the remainder of Cody McCormick's minor penalty for boarding and neither side could light the lamp despite having some quality chances early on. However, the Canucks got careless in front of their own net late in the extra period when Dan Hamhuis turned the puck over to Myers, who skated in and fired a wrist shot past Cory Schneider on the glove side for the win.

"I saw him (Hamhuis) kind of look up towards the far side, so I just stepped in and luckily I picked it off. It could have easily gone the other way," Myers said. "I was fortunate to get it."

Tyler Ennis, McCormick and Steve Montador each tallied in regulation for Buffalo. Ryan Miller turned aside 36-of-39 shots in the win.

Buffalo expects to have forward Nathan Gerbe back on the ice tonight after he missed the last eight games with a fractured jaw. Gerbe is expected to take the place of fellow forward Patrick Kaleta, who suffered an upper-body injury in Monday's win.

The Sabres are 5-3-2 as the guest this year and are out on the road for just one game before returning to Buffalo for a four-game homestand.

Washington will hope to avenge Saturday's loss, which was the Caps' only setback this month. The Caps, who rebounded from the loss to the Sabres with a win over Atlanta on Sunday, have a 7-0-1 record over their last eight games. Washington also has a stellar 9-1-0 record at home this season and has won six straight in D.C.

The Capitals notched a 6-4 win over the visiting Thrashers on Sunday, but not before coughing up a sizeable. Washington was up 3-1 after the first period, but found itself tied 4-4 with Atlanta by the end of the second.

John Erskine notched the go-ahead goal for Washington late in the third period and David Steckel recorded the empty-netter to seal the victory.

"I don't know what it is, I don't know why we have those mental lapses," Washington defenseman Mike Green said. "If we're going to be successful in the playoffs, we can't have that. It's something we need to work on over the course of the year."

Green, Steckel and Alex Ovechkin each posted a goal and assist for the Capitals. Michal Neuvirth was shaky at times, but picked up the win with 23 stops.

Alexander Semin also scored for Washington, giving him eight goals and seven assists during an eight-game point streak.

Thomas Vanek scored with a minute left in overtime to lead the Sabres to their 3-2 win over Washington on Saturday. The Capitals have still taken three of five, five of eight and six of the last 10 encounters between the clubs. Buffalo has dropped two straight in D.C., but still has four victories in its last seven tilts in the nation's capital.