The Tampa Bay Lightning pushed their winning streak to eight games with Saturday’s afternoon victory over the Washington Capitals. Tampa Bay defeated Washington 3-1 at Capital One Arena to improve to 35-20-4 this season. A rebound goal for Mitchell Chaffee on the power play gave the visitors a 1-0 lead late in the first period.

The Lightning (36-21-4) have gone from a team battling for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference to pushing toward the top of the Atlantic Division by going 10-1-1 in their past 12 games heading into their game against the Buffalo Sabres at Amalie Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN).

The Washington Capitals skated to a 3-1 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a Saturday afternoon matinee where a slow and undisciplined start coupled with emotionless play all game led to the loss.

But the Lightning are on a roll of their own, and they continued their best string of hockey this season with a 3-1 win over the Capitals, extending their season-best win streak to eight games.

Tampa Bay's Brandon Hagel reached the 30-goal plateau by scoring in his fourth straight game, and the Lightning extended the Eastern Conference's longest winning streak to eight with a 3-1 showing against the host Washington Capitals on Saturday afternoon.

The Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning will honor the victims of the DCA plane crash, one month to the day of the horrific accident.