Sabres shut out high scoring Caps

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Ryan Miller made 35 saves for his 16th career shutout, Nathan Gerbe scored his first NHL goal, and the Buffalo Sabres halted Washington's six-game winning streak with a 3-0 victory over the league-leading Capitals on Wednesday night.

Miller, owner of the NHL's lowest goals-against average, helped the stingy Sabres slow down the high-powered Washington offense that came in with a league-high 108 goals.

He preserved his fourth shutout of the season when he robbed Brendan Morrison, who was staring at a wide-open net, with a diving glove save along the ice with 13 minutes left. He then snagged Nicklas Backstrom's shot from in tight 4 minutes later.

Morrison hit the post with 4:45 to go, and Miller steered away 13 shots in the third period.

Gerbe added an assist, and defensemen Steve Montador and Henrik Tallinder also scored for the Sabres (17-9-2), who snapped a two-game losing streak.

The Capitals (19-6-6) were shut out for the first time this season -- and the first time since a 3-0 loss to Columbus exactly 11 months earlier. Washington took its first regulation loss in nine games.

Alex Ovechkin, the league's second-highest goal scorer with 20, was held without a point for only the fifth time in his 23 games.

Jose Theodore, who got the start because of Semyon Varlamov's lower body injury, finished with 25 saves.

Montador opened the scoring with his second of the season 4:06 into the first period. From the right point, Montador's shot skipped past Theodore, who was screened by Gerbe.

Gerbe made it 2-0 with 5:18 left in the second when he banked a shot off Theodore's pads and in while standing to the left of the post behind the goal line.

Tallinder pushed Buffalo's lead to 3-0 with his second of the season 3:16 later. Lugging the puck through the neutral zone, Tallinder wristed a high shot from the high slot that Theodore stopped, but the rebound popped back to tallinder, who swatted it in.

NOTES: G Michal Neuvirth was Theodore's backup after being recalled from Hershey of the AHL. ... The Capitals also recalled C Keith Aucoin from Hershey hours before the game to replace C Mathieu Perreault, who was sick. ... Gerbe played in his first game after being recalled earlier Wednesday from Portland of the AHL. ... The Sabres were without D Chris Butler (ankle) and RW Mike Grier (personal). ... Washington is in the midst of playing nine of 11 on the road (10-4-3). ... It was only the third time this season that Washington trailed after the first period.