NHL Playoff Push: Sabres, Capitals Make Moves

Caps shut out Leafs

NHL Roundup: Washington Capitals shut out Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0, while Buffalo Sabres beat New York Rangers 5-3.

Capitals stay alive in playoff chase, Sabres take sole possession of Atlantic Division lead...

The Washington Capitals kept their playoff hopes alive with a 4-0 shutout win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto, completing the season sweep. Logan Thompson made 21 saves, earning his third shutout of the season, while Dylan Strome and Martin Fehervary each had a goal and an assist. Ryan Leonard and Cole Hutson also scored for the Capitals, who are now three points behind Ottawa for the second Eastern Conference wild card.

The Maple Leafs, on the other hand, will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016 after losing three straight games. Anthony Stolarz suffered a lower-body injury early in the game, and Joseph Woll finished with 14 saves.

Dylan Strome scored early, netting his 19th goal of the season and putting the Capitals up 1-0. He's just one goal shy of reaching 20+ for the fifth straight season.

VICTORY IN TORONTO#CapsLeafs | #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/qdafRxk44K

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 9, 2026

Washington took control with back-to-back goals from Ryan Leonard and Martin Fehervary, making it 3-0 in their favor. The guests are looking strong! 

The Maple Leafs dominated possession, throwing more shots at goalie Logan Thompson, but couldn't capitalize. They pressed hard in the third period, trying to get a goal and keep their playoff hopes alive.

Cole Hutson's fourth goal, scored with under four minutes left, sealed the win for the opposing team. 

The Capitals have 89 points with three games left, sitting three points outside the top eight in the Eastern Conference. Despite having the fourth-most regulation wins (34) in the East, they're on the outside looking in.

The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, lost their third straight game and remain at the bottom of the Atlantic Division. 

Sabres Comeback Victory

The Buffalo Sabres rallied to beat the New York Rangers 5-3, taking sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division. Ryan McLeod and Zach Benson got the Sabres up 2-0, but the Rangers fought back, taking a 3-2 lead in the second period.

Rangers Struggle Despite Late Push

Adam Fox scored on a power play to give the Rangers their first lead, and Alexis Lafreniere added two goals. However, the Sabres' comeback was fueled by Jason Zucker's goal and Zach Benson's insurance marker in an empty net.

The Sabres turned things around in the third period, scoring three goals to take the lead. Alex Tuch and Jason Zucker scored 1:23 apart, followed by Benson's goal, putting the Sabres up with 12:46 left.

The New York Rangers pushed hard to get back into the game, but ultimately fell short. Zach Benson sealed the win for the Buffalo Sabres with an empty-net goal in the final moments, completing a 5-3 victory.

The Sabres' consecutive wins have brought them to 40 regulation victories, a rare achievement for the team. They're currently two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Meanwhile, the Rangers remain at the bottom of the conference, missing out on the chance to close the gap with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SABRES WIN ⚔️#LetsGoBuffalo | @SenecaBuffalo pic.twitter.com/zOnsk6bMU4

— x - Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) April 9, 2026