The Washington Capitals will look to stay hot when they head to Buffalo to meet the Sabres on Monday night. Can Alexander Ovechkin carry the Caps to another big win and trounce the struggling Sabres? Next Level Bets answers with his best betting pick for ...

The Washington Capitals dropped a 4-3 decision in the shootout against the Buffalo Sabres at the KeyBank Center on Monday night.

Ovechkin is now 23 shy of breaking Wayne Gretzky's mark of 894 goals that many NHL observers thought would stand as one of the game's most unbreakable records.

BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres play the Washington Capitals as losers of three straight games. Buffalo has a 14-21-5 record overall and a 7-10-3 record on its home ice. The Sabres are 3-5-4 in one-goal games. Washington has gone 13-6-0 in road games and 26-10-3 overall. The Capitals are 11-4-1 when scoring a power-play goal.

BUFFALO — It has been several weeks ... with several scoring chances for captain Alex Ovechkin, but after an initial flurry, the Sabres killed the penalty with relative ease.

The left wing practiced Monday on a line with Dubois at center and Aliaksei Protas at right wing. Ovechkin, who has 20 goals in 27 games this season and is 22 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky ’s NHL record of 894 goals, has played regularly with Dylan Strome, who practiced on a line with Connor McMichael and Tom Wilson.

The Washington Capitals host the Vancouver Canucks after Tom Wilson's two-goal game against the Buffalo Sabres in the Capitals' 4-3 shootout loss.

The Sabres (14-21-5) remained last in the Eastern Conference and finished their road trip 1-2-1. Buffalo was outshot in the game, 33-24, and had only 10 shots on goal through the first two periods. Vegas goalie Adin Hill came within 2:18 of a shutout before a Jason Zucker deflection on a power play produced Buffalo's goal.

It was a big Saturday for hockey yesterday in the National Hockey League, with only two teams not in action. The 30 other NHL teams were playing a game yesterday, which gave us a plethora of highlights.

Prediction for the NHL match which will take place on January 7. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the team conditions! Several betting options are available.