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BOX SCORE
WASHINGTON (AP) – Seldom-used Martin Biron got a week's worth of
action during a hectic, satisfying night at one of his favorite NHL
rinks.
|  | | Martin Biron denies Trevor Linden, registering one of his 42 saves against the Caps. |
Biron stopped 42 shots in a rare start, and Chris Gratton scored the tiebreaking goal with 10:34 left as the Buffalo Sabres defeated the reeling Washington Capitals 3-2 Saturday night.
Making only his second start in 15 games since Feb. 13, Biron
recorded 30 saves over the first 40 minutes before blanking the
Capitals in a third period that began with the score 2-2.
The backup to Dominik Hasek, Biron has won seven games this
season -- including two at the MCI Center.
"There are some rinks, where you feel comfortable," Biron
said. "We've been here quite often. Last year, I played a game
here, and this season two games, so I've kind of got a good feeling
about this place."
It marked a rare night off for Hasek, 0-2-1 in his past three
starts against Washington and 6-9-1 against Capitals goalie Olaf
Kolzig.
Kolzig had 21 saves, but Washington absorbed a third straight
loss at home for the first time since April 1999.
Gratton's goal, his 17th of the season, came when he gained
control of a rebound and scored from high in the slot with the
Sabres on the power play.
The Capitals peppered Biron with an array of shots in the final
10 minutes, but the goaltender was up to the task.
"You get over 40 shots on goal and with as many scoring
opportunities as we got, you should come out with a better result
than that," Washington coach Ron Wilson said.
Coming off consecutive shutout losses at home, the Capitals
endured a scoreless first period before Peter Bondra ended the dry
spell with the first of his two second-period goals.
But that was the extent of the Washington offense against Biron,
who expects to take his usual seat on the bench during the next few
weeks.
"To be honest, I might get one more start to the end of the
season," he said. "Dom is going to be there, and I'm just going
to be there to support him."
The Capitals trailed 1-0 before Bondra got his franchise-record
21st power-play goal of the season at 13:20 of the second period.
In addition to ending the team's scoreless run at 134 minutes, 48
seconds, the goal snapped an 0-for-16 skid by the league's
second-ranked power play.
Buffalo's Curtis Brown, in the penalty box at the time, redeemed
himself with a goal at 15:24 to put the Sabres up 2-1. Bondra
answered 30 seconds later, scoring his 43rd of the season on a slap
shot from between the circles.
But Gratton's goal sent Washington on the road for three games
following a 2-3-0 homestand.
"Now it's probably best to go on the road and loosen up a bit, not worry about what we have to do to impress people here at home," Wilson said.
Stu Barnes put Buffalo ahead 1-0 early in the second period when
his centering pass from the backboards ricocheted off the skate of
defenseman Brendan Witt and into the net.
Game notes
Donald Audette, acquired by the Sabres from Atlanta on
March 13, was held scoreless in his Buffalo debut following a
two-game suspension for hitting a Calgary player in the head on
March 11. ... Bondra tied Mike Gartner's franchise record of 98
career power-play goals. ... The crowd of 18,672 was Washington's
10th sellout, up from seven all last season.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Buffalo Clubhouse
Washington Clubhouse
RECAPS
Colorado 5
Detroit 3
Los Angeles 1
San Jose 0
Philadelphia 2
NY Rangers 1
Toronto 5
Florida 3
Boston 3
Montreal 2
Buffalo 3
Washington 2
NY Islanders 3
Columbus 3
Tampa Bay 5
Pittsburgh 1
Nashville 4
Phoenix 1
St. Louis 2
Calgary 2
New Jersey 6
Edmonton 5
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Martin Biron stops the Capitals attack with a little help from his teammates.
avi: 698 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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