Hasek saves Sabres

NHL teams

Hasek single-handedly carried his team to a victory in a game where the Sabres were outshot 35-16. Buffalo played so bad that the only way for them to win was Hasek to play the best he can. He did just that.

Hasek had labeled himself "swiss cheese" after letting in a couple of soft goals in games 3 and 4. Today he set the pace right from the start and never let down.

"I made some saves I didn't even know how I made," said Hasek. "It was tough for a few days. I gave up some goals. I made it a bit funny. Sometimes the bounces don't go my way. Today I was more lucky."

Washington played a very good game and they must be wondering how could they have lost. If the Capitals were getting to Hasek in previous games, the tables have turned and Hasek is in the Caps heads now. All the sudden the ghosts of squandered 3-1 series leads of the past loom big again.

"We're all going to have dreams tonight about the chances we missed," Capitals Adam Oates said. "Myself included. I had a beauty. We have to shake it off. We gave them life."

Washington coach Ron Wilson has his job cut out for him in trying to convince his troops that Game 5 was a fluke as the Capitals prepare for Game 6 Thursday night in Buffalo.

"I thought we pretty much dominated the game almost from start to finish," Wilson said. "We just couldn't find a way to score. With Dominik, you've got to bury it and bury it hard, and we couldn't do that."