Sabres gained confidence from stretch of must-win games

The Buffalo Sabres may not have made the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but a roster littered with young talent got a taste of what postseason hockey might be like.
Despite not qualifying, every game down the stretch was a must-win as the Sabres rattled off a 9-2-1 stretch to close out the season, staying in contention until game No. 80.
"Everyone counted us out a lot of times and we just found ways to stay in that race, and I think we learned a lot about this group that we're never going to give up, we're never going to quit," Dylan Cozens said.

Playing with their backs against the wall for the final two months of the season taught the youngest roster in hockey valuable lessons that they can utilize in the future. But the bitterness of coming up so close, finishing one point behind the Florida Panthers for the final playoff spot, still lingered as players cleared out their lockers before going their separate ways for the summer.

"Even when we go through those tough stretches, we know that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. We're just (going to) keep pushing through that," Cozens continued.
The Sabres learned how to become a true hockey team this season. It's a conclusion captain Kyle Okposo came to in the immediate aftermath of a 6-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils last week. The mixture of personalities in the dressing room blended well off the ice and helped galvanize the team during times of adversity on it.
"On the ice, you can see it, for sure, the way we gel together," Peyton Krebs said. "The way we trust each other. I think that will only help us on the ice. We've got all the tools to do it and I think everyone sees that."

The must-win games in March and April provided experience that could be valuable when the Sabres do make the playoffs.
"I think it's a really big learning experience for us just being able to play in must-win games and important games," Cozens continued. "As disappointing as it is not to be in the playoffs right now, I think it's just going to fuel us, push us to make that step next year."
Cozens is emblematic of the Sabres' untapped potential. The 30-goal scorer came into his own this season, solidifying himself as a core piece of the Sabres future.

"He (Sabres coach Don Granato) told me that he doesn't think I'm anywhere close to the player I can be," Cozens said. "He said it's surprising I scored 30 goals the way I did because he thinks I have so much more to my game. It means a lot. He wants us all to be the best we can be and he wants to help us get there. I'm excited to see what he has for me."
The centerman affectionately known as the Workhorse from Whitehorse doesn't have to look far to find supporting cast mates that could soon join him in that category. His frequent linemates sit a few stalls down in JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn, two candidates who could explode onto the scene the way Cozens did this season.
"They got better and better as the year went on and they learned a lot as a well," Cozens said. "It's a long, hard year. Next year they're going to take a really big step so I'm excited to see what they can do next year, and I was grateful to be able to play with them this year."
The biggest boost from the season's final eleven games is the fact that the Sabres have realized their potential and reclaimed their swagger. Gone are feelings of self-doubt and anxiety that crept into their game at various points this season.
It's been replaced with a conviction that's fueled by confidence that will push them to the next step.
"If you're playing in the NHL and you don't trust yourself with the puck, you're toast," defenseman Mattias Samuelsson said. "You gain the confidence as you become established, and you prove to yourself you can do it."
Here are more takeaways from Day 2 of locker cleanout interviews at KeyBank Center:
1. Watch all of Sunday's interviews
here.
2. Mattias Samuelsson confirmed he was playing with multiple injuries at the end of the season, including a broken hand and an MLC strain. After a loss to the Devils that officially sealed the Sabres' fate, Granato opted to shut down Samuelsson for the final two games to prevent any further damage.
"It was my bottom hand, so as a defenseman I'd push guys in the corners and feel it, I'd be in pain for a little bit," Samuelsson said. "It was definitely a mental battle sometimes but those are the games you want to play, so you just try to grind through it."
3. Devon Levi (Canada), Jack Quinn (Canada) and JJ Peterka (Germany) all confirmed they will join Alex Tuch (United States) in participating in the IIHF World Championship. The tournament runs from May 12 to 28 in Latvia and Finland.
4. Cozens set career highs in goals (31) and points (68) this season and already has his eyes on bigger numbers next year. But his stat line isn't the only spot of his game where he can see improvement.
"If I'm a 30-goal scorer now, I want to be a 40-goal scorer next year and just keep getting better and better every year and just improve all areas of my game," Cozens said. "I want to get better in battles along the wall and being able to win those battles and maintain possession and just keep improving all aspects of my game."
5. General Manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Don Granato will speak with the media on Wednesday morning beginning at 10 a.m. Stream both sessions live on the Sabres' social media channels.