First Period Re-cap

The Washington Capitals played as complete a period of hockey as a team can play in the first period. Nicklas Backstrom got things started 1:18 into the period as he beat Sabres goalie Ryan Miller high to glove side on a wrist shot from the high slot. Alex Ovechkin fed Backstrom from the right circle after the two had chased the puck into the right corner.

5:29 later, Mike Green pushed the Capitals lead to 2-0 on a slap shot that deflected off a sprawling Derek Roy's stick and over Miller's catching glove. The shot was just the fourth of the game for the Capitals, who outshot the Sabres 15-4 in the period.

Washington's line of Ovechkin, Backstrom and Alexander Semin put the most pressure on Miller, but the Capitals line of Brooks Laich, Chris Clark and Erich Fehr were just as solid.

Fehr and Clark assisted on Green's goal, then almost pushed the lead to 3-0 when Laich and Clark both had chances in tight on Miller. Miller stopped Laich's backhand with the rebound coming to Clark. Clark, however, did not get all of the puck on the shot and Miller subsequently covered the puck.