ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) – Defenseman Jamie Heward broke a tie on a two-man power play early in the third period in the Washington Capitals’ 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.

The game was played at BlueCross Arena, the home of the Sabres’ American Hockey League affiliate.

Jeff Friesen and Petr Sykora also scored to help the Capitals snap a two-game losing streak and end the Sabres’ two-game winning streak. Ales Kotalik and Jochen Hecht scored for Buffalo in the Sabres’ first home loss of the season.

Olaf Kolzig finished with 15 saves for Washington, which used a suffocating defense to stifle the Sabres. Buffalo came into the game averaging a league-high 36 shots on goal, while Washington had allowed 40 or more shots in each of its last four games.

Heward fired a slap shot into the top right-hand corner of the net with 5 seconds remaining on Washington’s two-man advantage. Kotalik was called for tripping 2:27 into the period, and Rory Fitzpatrick was sent off for holding 13 seconds later.

Kolzig made the goal stand up with a nice kick save on Fitzpatrick’s shot with less than 5 minutes to go.

Kotalik opened the scoring on a power-play goal with 5:22 left in the first period, beating Kolzig with a slap shot from the right point.

Washington countered 22 seconds later, with Friesen picking up a loose puck in front of the Buffalo net and wristing a shot past Ryan Miller.

The Capitals took a 2-1 lead early in the second when Sykora converted a pass from Matt Pettinger on a 2-on-1 break. The goal was upheld by video review after Sabres defenseman Henrik Tallinder slid into Miller, who lifted the net off its pegs, but only after the puck crossed the goal line.

Hecht tied it at 2 at 1:18 of the third.

Steve Eminger added two assists for Washington.

Miller was denied a chance to become the first rookie since Ed Belfour in 1990 to win seven games in October. Miller has played in every game for Buffalo this season.

Notes: The Sabres last played a regular-season game in Rochester in November 2003, a 2-2 tie with New Jersey. … Washington D Bryan Muir returned to the lineup for the first time since aggravating his groin Oct. 12 against Carolina. … Sabres G Mika Noronen has been scratched for all nine games this season. … Washington’s scheduled game Saturday night in Florida has been postponed because of Hurricane Wilma.

AP-ES-10-26-05 2216EDT


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