Sam Reinhart nets the lone goal for Buffalo in the 5-1 defeat.
By Brian McNally / NHL.com Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Alex Ovechkin scored his NHL-leading 37th and 38th goals for the Washington Capitals in a 5-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres at Capital One Arena on Saturday.
Evgeny Kuznetsov, Andre Burakovsky and Lars Eller scored for Washington (35-20-7), which ended a two-game losing streak and regained first place in the Metropolitan Division, one point ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers.
Sam Reinhart scored 14 seconds into the third period for the Sabres (18-33-11), who are last in the Atlantic Division.
Ovechkin, who tied Calle Johansson’s record for most games played for the Capitals (983), has 596 NHL goals and would become the 20th player to score 600 in the NHL.
Kuznetsov gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead 50 seconds into the first period when he skated around forward Jason Pominville.
Burakovsky’s scored at 13:20 of the second period on a solo rush up ice that ended with a backhand between Robin Lehner’s pads for a 2-0 lead.
Ovechkin scored on the power play at 10:13 of the third period to make it 3-1 and again at 18:36 to make it 5-1. Eller scored an empty-net goal at 17:48 for a 4-1 lead.
Capitals goalie Philipp Grubauer made 28 saves.
The Sabres return home to face the Boston Bruins at 5 pm Sunday.