Capitals 5, Sabres 3: Troy Brouwer, Mathieu Perreault and Marcus Johansson each recorded a goal and an assist as host Washington posted its second win in three games.

Captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 350th career goal, Jason Chimera also tallied and Braden Holtby made 27 saves as the Capitals secured their seventh win in eight home meetings with the Sabres.

Cody Hodgson tallied twice, rookie Brian Flynn added a goal and Ryan Miller turned aside 20 shots for Buffalo, which fell to 1-3-3 in its last seven.

Ovechkin got Washington on the board just 19 seconds into the game, beating Miller with a snap shot after a faceoff win for his third goal in 11 contests. Hodgson scored 12 seconds into the middle period to forge a tie, but Brouwer put the Capitals ahead for good during a power play as he fired the puck into the top left corner of the net from the right hash marks at 5:06.

Chimera and Johansson tallied 43 seconds apart midway through the session to make it 4-1. Goals by Flynn and Hodgson got the Sabres within one before Perreault sealed the win with 4:55 remaining in the third.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The start of the third period briefly was delayed due to problems with the lighting at the Verizon Center. ... Hodgson's two-goal performance was the fourth of his career and second this season. He also scored twice in a 4-3 loss at Carolina on March 5. ... The Capitals improved to 7-2-0 when Ovechkin scored a goal.