NHL roundup: Capitals, Sabres hold off late comebacks to secure wins

Capitals' Pierre-Luc Dubois celebrates goal with teammate
Capitals' Pierre-Luc Dubois celebrates goal with teammateNick Wass / CTK / AP

The Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres both held off late comebacks in their respective matchups to secure a win during Friday's four-game slate.

Sabres 3-2 Panthers

Entering the third period tied up 1-1 after both teams scored their only power play goals of the game, the Sabres' Beck Malenstyn (5) and Peyton Krebs (9) made it 3-1 late in the third period before Florida's Sam Bennett (20) was awarded a goal to make 3-2 with just under 50 seconds left to play. 

The Sabres have now won back-to-back one-goal games since returning from the Olympic break, as they improved to 34-19-6. 

Floride fell to 30-26-3 and have now lost their first game post-Olympics after beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1 on Thursday.

Capitals 3-2 Golden Knights

Thanks to a pair of back-to-back goals from Pierre-Luc Dubois (3) in just under three minutes apart from each other, followed by Jakob Chychrun's 22nd goal of the season, also assisted by Dubois, it was just enough to hold off a Knights comeback. 

In the final frame, Vegas' Braeden Bowman (8) got them on the board just 2:27 into the period before Tomas Hertl (23) would find the net on a power play goal six minutes later. But the Caps held off as they improved 31-23-7. 

Washington are now 2-0 since returning from the Olympic break and have scored three goals in both games. 

Vegas, on the other hand, earned their first loss post-Olympics after beating the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. They fall to 28-17-14 on the season. 

Mammoth 5-2 Minnesota Wild

Lawson Crouse (16) scored twice for the Mammoth in what was his second multi-goal game of the season. He now needs just nine more goals to set a new single-season career high. 

Utah got out to a commanding 3-0 lead before Minnesota's star Kirill Kaprizov found the net for his 33rd goal of the season with an assist from Winter Olympics Team USA's own Matthew Boldy, also his 33rd on the season. However, it wasn't enough as Utah earned their first win after coming back from the break following a loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

They improved to 31-24-4, while Minnesota, who ironically beat the Avs in their first game back from break, fell to 35-15-10. 

Ongoing

Winnipeg Jets vs. Anaheim Ducks

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