Sabres 3, Capitals 1

Sabres 3, Capitals 1
Eds: RESTORES dropped word 'left' in lede
By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Miroslav Satan had a goal and two assists, and Daniel Briere scored the tiebreaking goal with 15:41 left to lead the Buffalo Sabres past the Washington Capitals 3-1 Saturday night.
In a game between last-place teams that have struggled to score, neither club was willing to give the other an advantage by virtue of a foolish infraction. Although Briere's goal came on a delayed penalty call, the first penalty to be enforced occurred with 7:47 remaining.
Mika Noronen had 21 saves for the Sabres, 2-0-1 following a seven-game losing streak. Buffalo was playing its first game without leading scorer J.P. Dumont, who will miss at least a week with a hip injury.
Peter Bondra scored for the Capitals, who were seeking the 1,000th victory in franchise history.
Briere's pivotal goal came with Noronen on the bench and the Sabres using six skaters. Satan got the puck on the left side of the net and passed across the crease to Briere, who beat goaltender Olaf Kolzig.
Minutes later, Bondra hit the post during the Capitals' lone power-play chance of the night, and Jochen Hecht clinched the victory with an empty-net goal in the final minute.
The Capitals went up 1-0 when Bondra scored his 15th goal on a wrist shot from the left circle at 7:55 of the first period.
A blunder by Kolzig behind his own net allowed Buffalo to tie it late in the period. After straying from the crease to clear the puck, Kolzig tapped it meekly before Satan gained possession and scored into an open net.
Buffalo outshot Washington 10-2 in a scoreless second period.
Notes: Washington D Brendan Witt returned after missing seven games with a shoulder injury. ... Buffalo has gone 12 straight games without scoring at least four goals. ... Washington's Jaromir Jagr was held without a point for only the fourth time in his last 23 games. ... Sabres C Chris Drury missed his fourth straight game with a shoulder injury.