The Sabres rebounded from a disappointing 7-4 loss and improved to 31-36-6 overall. They have won seven of their last 11 games, and though they are only 3-10-1 in their last 14 games away from KeyBank Center,

Ovechkin pulled the Capitals within 6-4 at 9:11 of the third period when he got position at the top of the crease and deflected Rasmus Sandin’s shot from the left point down between James Reimer’s pads. Ovechkin, who also had two assists, has 37 goals in 57 games for the Capitals.

Washington captain Alex Ovechkin, 39, is now five goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL record after scoring the 890th of his career during the third period of the Capitals' home game Sunday, an 8-5 loss to the Buffalo Sabres at Capital One Arena.