(Sports Network) - The Washington Capitals may be sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings, but the Ottawa Senators will be coming in as the hotter team when these two clubs face off this evening at Scotiabank Place.

Ottawa is riding a three-game winning streak and moved within a point of rival Buffalo for first place in the Northeast Division after Saturday's 5-3 home victory over the Sabres. That win came on the heels of an impressive 6-2 rout of the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.

Daniel Alfredsson led the way in Saturday's triumph with two goals and an assist, while Filip Kuba registered three helpers in addition to a a power- play goal in the second period. The Senators scored five straight times after spotting Buffalo a 1-0 lead after the opening 20 minutes.

"We're playing with more confidence and you can feel it in the locker room," Alfredsson told the Senators' official site afterward. "When you score five like tonight, you've got to be happy."

Ottawa did have to replace regular goaltender Pascal Leclaire after two periods due to an upper-body injury. Brian Elliot came in to start the third and turned aside 14-of-16 shots to protect a 2-1 lead.

Elliot figures to draw the starting assignment tonight with Leclaire, who stopped 24-of-25 Buffalo chances before exiting, likely to sit out at least one game.

The Senators are expected to get Alex Kovalev back in the lineup this evening. The veteran forward missed Saturday's contest to attend his mother-in-law's funeral back in his native Russia.

Ottawa will be wrapping up a five-game homestand tonight and has gone 3-0-1 thus far on the residency. For the season, the Senators have compiled a solid 8-3-3 mark as the host.

Washington, the East's leader with 31 points, has lost two in a row and three of its last four tests and is dealing with a recent rash of injuries. Two of the team's top scorers, forwards Alexander Semin (right wrist) and Mike Knuble (broken finger) have missed the last three and four games, respectively, and are sidelined indefinitely, while defensemen Tom Poti and Shaone Morrisonn were both scratched for Saturday's 2-1 shootout loss in Toronto.

Morrisonn, who hasn't played in the Capitals' two most recent tilts due to a concussion, is considered a game-time decision for tonight's matchup. Poti, who is dealing with a bruised chest, will not participate.

The Caps fell to the Maple Leafs despite an outstanding effort from goaltender Semyon Varlamov. The 21-year-old saved 38-of-39 shots over the course of regulation and overtime, but allowed two goals in the shootout phase to take the loss.

Alex Ovechkin scored Washington's lone goal late in the first period, but was stoned by Toronto's Vesa Toskala in the shootout's second round. Mike Green assisted on Ovechkin's tally and has now notched a point in six straight games, having recorded one goal and nine helpers over that span.

The Senators and Capitals split four meetings last season, with the home team winning each of those encounters. Washington has left with a defeat in four of its last six trips to Scotiabank Place.