Big 2nd Period Lifts Sabres Past Caps

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Derek Roy and Jaroslav Spacek scored two goals each and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Washington Capitals 7-3 on Saturday night.

Ryan Miller, coming off a 6-0 win over Atlanta, had 23 saves for Buffalo. It was his fourth straight decision over the Capitals.

Maxim Afinogenov and Derek Roy each added a goal and an assist, and Jason Pominville and Adam Mair also scored for the Sabres, who have won two straight after dropping their first two games of the season.

Mike Green and Michael Nylander each had a goal and an assist, and Alex Ovechkin also scored for Washington, which lost its second straight after opening the season 3-0.

Washington goalie Brent Johnson finished with 46 saves in a losing effort.

Down 1-0, Buffalo scored four times on seven shots in a 4:32 span late in the second period to take command, with Spacek beginning the rally on a power play at 14:51. It was his third goal of the season.

Afinogenov scored 11 seconds later, tapping in Thomas Vanek's pass down low.

Pominville made it 3-1 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the second when he cashed in on a 2-on-1 break with Jochen Hecht, and Mair gave Buffalo a three-goal lead with just 37 seconds left in the period.

Buffalo got off 24 shots in the second period, two short of its franchise high.

In his last appearance against the Sabres last December, Johnson was chased after the first 8 minutes of the game, allowing four goals on six shots. Coming in, his save percentage lifetime against Buffalo was just .865.

The Capitals were able to muster only four shots on goal in the first period, but they made one of them count when Nylander beat Miller with a snap shot from the slot at 11:24. Nylander converted Nicklas Backstrom's pass on a 3-on-2 rush, the first goal Miller allowed in 82 minutes, 55 seconds.

Roy scored twice and Spacek once to counter third-period goals by Washington's Green and Ovechkin.

Notes:@ Capitals right wing Alexander Semin missed his fourth game because of a right ankle sprain sustained in the preseason. ... Washington right wing Boyd Gordon missed his second game due to back spasms. ... Buffalo has won nine of its last 11 against the Capitals. ... Washington is off until Thursday when it begins a four-game homestand against the New York Islanders. ... Ovechkin has picked up a point in every game this season. ... Washington has allowed over 30 shots in its last three games.