BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Washington Capitals will look for their third win over Buffalo in two weeks when they take on the Sabres on Friday night.The Capitals have suffered from inconsistent play in recent games, even in victories. After surrendering a 3-0 lead on Wednesday against the Boston Bruins, Washington survived with a 4-3 overtime victory. The players still held a players-only meeting after the game.We had a little talk in here and theres some things weve got to clean up, said forward T.J. Oshie, who returned against Boston after missing seven games with a shoulder injury. I think its more of mentality than it is any systems or anything like that. Once we get a step up on somebody, weve got to get that mentality that were going to finish them off.The Capitals havent had many problems against the Sabres in recent weeks, however. Washington picked up a 3-1 win over Buffalo on Nov. 25 and a 3-2 overtime over Buffalo on Dec. 5. In their most recent game, the Capitals came back from a late 3-2 deficit before winning in overtime. Marcus Johansson had both the game-tying goal and the game-winner in the victory.Nicklas Backstrom had the game-winner in overtime against Boston on Tuesday. Backstrom leads the team with 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 25 games. Captain Alex Ovechkin isnt far behind with 19 points (12 goals, seven assists) in 25 games.Goaltending has been a major strength for the Capitals this season. Starter Braden Holtby has a .923 save percentage and a 2.18 goals-against average, and backup Philipp Grubauer has a .936 save percentage and a 1.80 goals against average. Each has a win over Buffalo this season.The Sabres are hoping to be much healthier along the blue line opening the season plagued by injuries. Buffalo has been without three key defensemen for a significant period of time -- Dmitry Kulikov (lower back), Josh Gorges (foot) and Zach Bogosian (knee sprain) -- and both Kulikov and Gorges have a chance of returning against the Capitals.I feel like I could (play), Gorges said, according to the teams website. I guess well reevaluate things today and tomorrow morning, talk to doctors and the medical staff and get a better idea of whether thats possible or not.The Sabres sent defenseman Erik Burgdoerfer back to the AHLs Rochester Americans on Thursday with their blue line getting healthier. Its expected that youngster Brendan Guhle will return to his junior team after being promoted on an emergency basis.Guhle, 19, has impressed in his limited time with the big club.I dont know what I totally expected given the circumstances, given who he was playing against, Sabres head coach Bylsma said, according to the teams website. You kind of look to see how anyones going to do against (Alex) Ovechkin, against (Connor) McDavids speed, and he did a pretty good job of it, a pretty remarkable job for a young kid to step in.The Sabres are coming off a 4-3 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen had the game-winner on his first goal of the year.Wholesale Shoes From China . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. Wholesale Shoes 2020 . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game. http://www.wholesaleshoes.us.org/ . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. Cheap Shoes China Wholesale . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. Cheap Shoes China Free Shipping . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007.RIO DE JANEIRO -- Michael Phelps is used to being in a league of his own.So it was strange to see him crowding onto a medal stand with two other swimmers Friday night.Phelps rallied from sixth overall at the turn to lock up a silver medal in the mens 100-meter butterfly, but the winningest Olympian of all time finished in a three-way tie for the medal with Chad le Clos and László Cseh.Meanwhile, Joseph Schooling of Singapore shocked the field by winning gold in Olympic-record time (50.39 seconds). It was the countrys first gold medal in any sport.Schooling, who also swims at the University of Texas, built a big lead on the opening lap and easily held off the hard-charging Phelps.Schooling -- almost exactly a decade younger than the 31-year-old American -- wouldnt let Phelps pull off one of his patented comebacks on the return lap. The time for the three silver-medal winners was 51.14.Phelps quickly swam over to congratulate Schooling, who seemed stunned by what he had done.Joe is tough. Hats off to him, he swam a great race. Its kind of special and a decent way to finish my last individual race, Phelps said.It hasnt really sunk in yet, Schooling said. Im sorry if I dont seem like Im full of emotions right now. I dont know what to believe, like, whether I actually did it or Im still preparing for my race.Schooling was equally complimentary of Phelps.[Phelps] is a guy that will go down in our history books as the greatest of all time of any sport. Im just honored and glad to have that moment and that privilege to race alongside Michael and Chad and all those guys, Schooling said.The three-way tie for the silvver medal is the first three-way tie for any medal in Olympic swimming history, according to ESPN Stats & Information.ddddddddddddA three-way tie is pretty wild, Phelps said.Phelps now has won five medals over his week in Rio: Friday nights silver and four golds. His career total in the Olympics now stands at 27 medals.The Baltimore native will close out these Olympics in the 4x100 medley relay Saturday, in which hell have a shot for his 23rd gold medal.Earlier Friday, fellow American swimmer Ryan Lochte said he believed Phelps would compete in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, which Phelps politely contradicted after the 100 butterfly.I am not gonna be competing in four years, Phelps said.Later Friday, 16 years after winning his first individual gold medal at the Olympics, Anthony Ervin picked up his second with a furious dash from one end of the pool to the other.Completing a remarkable journey in the blink of an eye, the oldest member of the U.S. swimming team touched first in the 50-meter freestyle, edging the defending Olympic champion, Florent Manaudou of France, by a mere hundredth of a second.Another American, Nathan Adrian, took the bronze.The 35-year-old Ervin won his first gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, tying teammate Gary Hall Jr. for the top spot. He skipped the next two Olympics only to return for the 2012 London Games, but he failed to medal there.Now, improbably, hes back on top of the podium again.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. ' ' '