Sam Reinhart posted a hat trick, and Jason Pominville and Rasmus Dahlin each added one goal as the Buffalo Sabres defeated the visiting Washington Capitals 5-2 in a Saturday matinee.

Jack Eichel added two assists as Buffalo snapped a four-game losing streak.

For the Capitals, this was the final stop on a six-game road trip, and they looked sluggish at times. Washington split the six games and missed on a chance to move into a tie for first place with the New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division.

Goalie Carter Hutton finished with 31 saves for the Sabres in the win and even got his first assist this season.

Buffalo put a lot of pressure on the Capitals at times and was able to control the pace, especially in a first period where the Sabres took a 2-0 lead.

Pominville put Buffalo ahead when he got free in the slot and converted on a quick pass from Jeff Skinner at the 3:40 mark of that first period. Reinhart gave the Sabres a 2-0 lead when he fired a shot from the right circle that banged off the left post and past goalie Braden Holtby (33 saves) with 7:09 left.

Alex Ovechkin then scored his 44th goal of the season on a semi-breakaway early in the second period. Ovechkin now has scored goals in five consecutive games.

But the Sabres got a key goal with 31 seconds left in the period. Penalties have hurt Washington often this season, and that happened again when Dahlin scored on a one-timer from the right circle for a power-play goal and a 3-1 lead.

Andre Burakovsky scored for the Capitals early in the third period, but Reinhart answered just 87 seconds later at 5:43 for a 4-2 lead. Reinhart then finished off his hat trick with a long empty-netter in the final minute. Hutton got the assist on that one.

Newly acquired left wing Carl Hagelin saw time for Washington, but Nick Jensen, the defenseman Washington got from Detroit in another deal, did not play and is expected to go in a Sunday matinee at home versus the Rangers.

--Field Level Media