Lindy Ruff proves he's still got his fastball in Buffalo Sabres' latest win

The Buffalo Sabres fell behind the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers 2-0 before the first commercial break even arrived on Monday night. It was the type of forgettable start the club has mostly avoided during its two-month hot streak.

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff gathered his troops during that initial pause in the action and delivered a message that must have resonated because Buffalo tied the game before the first intermission.

After the contest, which saw the Blue and Gold pick up a crucial 5-3 road victory to move 10 points ahead of the Cats in the Eastern Conference standings, Ruff explained what he told his players during that passionate moment on the bench.

"The message was [down 2-0] that we needed to break the puck out better," Ruff told reporters. "We tried to spread the ice out, make the ice bigger by going out into the neutral zone. I thought we did a lot better. We didn't like the battles to start the game, they were winning the majority of them. You know why that team won two Stanley Cups. When they get over the puck, they are as good as any team and take a lot of pride in winning their battles."

It wasn't a perfect performance by the Sabres, who were outshot 41-20, but they still managed to come away with two critical points. Winning without playing their 'A' game been a common theme throughout the surge, which now features 21 wins in the past 26 outings.

Ruff deserves a lot of credit for that success. He's finally convinced Buffalo's core, which put together a few great runs in the past but could never sustain it, to play winning hockey on a nightly basis. Less unforced errors and a higher compete level in the defensive zone is the name of the game.

The 65-year-old Canadian is in his second stint behind the Blue and Gold bench and also spent the first 10 years of his playing career in Buffalo. He previously won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's top coach in 2006, and he should be a top contender this season if his squad makes the postseason.

There were legitimate questions earlier in the campaign about whether Ruff could still lead a team to high-end success as the Sabres faltered. The turnaround shows his tactics and messaging still works if he can get everybody to buy in.

Buffalo needed a wake-up call against the desperate Panthers on Monday night. Ruff delivered one, and the end result was another massive step toward breaking the longest playoff drought in NHL history.

If the team maintains its current trajectory, it may end up being his best coaching job yet, which is quite a statement given the résumé he's built throughout what should be a Hall of Fame career.

Meanwhile, let's hop into the latest installment of our Sabres player grades series as the league's break for the 2026 Winter Olympics sits on the horizon.

Peyton Krebs, Alex Lyon step up to lead the Buffalo Sabres to an important Feb. 2 win over the Florida Panthers

Sabres player grades

Buffalo Player of the Game: Peyton Krebs

The Sabres were looking for a spark on Monday and they found it by elevating Krebs to the top line. He finished the night with a goal, two assists and seven hits as part of his best performance of the season, and probably one of the most complete outings of his six-year NHL career.

"He was flying, he was winning puck battles, he was good defensively, good on the draw," fellow forward Alex Tuch said. "I really liked his game tonight. Really well-rounded and had a couple big plays for us there, offensively. He was definitely MVP in my eyes tonight."

Keeping Krebs on the first line for an extended period is a highly questionable proposition because of his longstanding offensive woes, but he's showcased his ability to handle the vital role on a short-term basis because of his endless motor.

Buffalo has had to tinker with its top six more than it'd probably like through the season's first 55 games, mostly because of injuries. The 2019 first-round pick has often been Ruff's choice for the increased role, but it's an area where a high-end trade arrival would really help.

For now, Krebs has probably earned another stint alongside Tuch and Tage Thompson, especially if Zach Benson is forced to miss time because of an injury suffered against Florida.

Sabres quick hits

• Ruff didn't have a comprehensive update on Benson after the game. The winger crashed hard into the boards in the third period. He tried to play one more shift before leaving with an upper-body injury that appeared related to his arm or shoulder.

• Lyon bounced back wonderfully after allowing the two early goals. He finished the night with 38 saves on 41 shots (.927 save percentage) for the 11th win in his past 12 games.

• Another two-assist night for Rasmus Dahlin as he continues to find his groove offensively.

• Mattias Samuelsson blocked seven shots in the win.

• It was nice to see a two-point night from Josh Doan, whose offense had dipped since being moved into the club's middle six.

• Jack Quinn, who assisted on Jason Zucker's power-play goal, now has 13 points in his last 13 appearances.

• The bottom of Buffalo's lineup remains ineffective and, while it hasn't been sinking the team, it's an area general manager Jarmo Kekalainen may have to address before the trade deadline in March.

• Isak Rosen joined the forward group as the Blue and Gold gave Konsta Helenius a night off following an impressive start to his NHL career.

• The Sabres (32-18-5) are right back in action Tuesday night (7:30 p.m. ET) as the visit Benchmark International Arena for another Atlantic Division battle, this one with the East-leading Tampa Bay Lightning (35-14-4).