"I think it's good that we got embarrassed like that against Dallas," Nolan said following an optional practice on Wednesday. "It's good to have those kind of games, have those kinds of losses to put things in perspective. It's really just about hard work and competing and playing the right way. You don't need the most skill. Some teams have all the skill in the world but if they don't do that, they're not going to win so it doesn't really matter."
What's changed in these last two games? According to Nolan, it's not just howthe Sabres have played - it's the consistency with which they've played for three periods. In both Calgary and Edmonton, they displayed a commitment to backchecking hard, winning battles and supporting one another in all three zones. Most importantly, they've done it for 60 minutes.
"I think we've really been trying to make strides in the right direction, just playing good hockey, not even worry about the results," Wilson said. "Just getting back to doing the little things right and trying to play for a full 60. I think we realize that the good teams are able to not just play two periods or one good period of hockey a night. It's got to be 60 minutes every day."
As impressive a response as their win in Calgary on Monday may have been, the Sabres seemed to believe to a man that it would be for naught had they not followed it up with another strong game in Edmonton. The Sabres had managed just one set of back-to-back wins prior to this road trip, and they came all the way back in October.
"I think that's kind of been the issue here," defenseman Justin Falk said. "We think we take one step forward and then I don't know if we get a little complacent or think it's going to just carry over, but we end up taking a couple steps back. That was a big effort to be able to understand how we have to play every night and understand what it's going to take.
"You can see it with the way guys are reloading and being desperate to help each other," he continued. "Obviously, mistakes are going to happen, but you can tell how quickly we are there to help each other. You can just tell we look tighter as a group. You can see the results."
The Sabres now have a chance to take another step forward by entering the All-Star break with a sweep of their road trip in Vancouver on Thursday, which would represent their first three-game winning streak of the season.
"I think for the confidence for the guys it would be a big improvement obviously," Wilson said. "Sometimes breaks come in bad spots for teams when they're playing well but I think if we can get three on this trip its' going to be a good break and guys will be excited to get back after."
Coverage of Thursday's game begins at 9:30 p.m. with the GMC Game Night Pregame Show on MSG-B, or you can listen live on WGR 550. The puck drops at 10.
