The Buffalo Sabres saw their win streak come to an end on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It wasn't just the loss, but the way they lost, as the Blue Jackets outplayed them from almost start to finish and cruised to a 4-1 victory.
There is no question that the Sabres were not going to win every game for the remainder of the season. However, how they respond from this game will be an indication if this is really a new Buffalo Sabres team or a similar version to what fans saw over the past 14 seasons.
"This is when we really to see if we're really a good team. So just regroup and get ready for the next one," Rasmus Dahlin said after the Blue Jackets' loss.
Dahlin is familiar with these kinds of win streaks, as he, along with Tage Thompson, was part of the last 10-game win streak the Buffalo Sabres had. During the 2018-19 season, the Sabres would win 10 straight but then fell apart after that as they lost five straight and had a record of 4-7-4 over the next 15 games.
The upcoming homestand is the ultimate litmus test for the Buffalo Sabres
The good news for the Buffalo Sabres is that they are set to return to Western New York and have six of their next seven games at KeyBank Center. They have been pretty good on their ice as they have a record of 12-5-2 on the season.
These are going to be pivotal games that can either help them move up the standings or fall right back out of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference. Of the seven games, three are against teams they are competing directly for a playoff spot with (Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens).
Lindy Ruff, after the game, didn't mince words when asked about the team's recovery, shifting the focus from the past success to the immediate future. "It's the most important part; it has nothing to do with winning 10 anymore. Now it has about not losing two in a row, about responding to the game we just played, going back in our building and playing a good hockey game."
It is going to be important for the Sabres to put that game behind them and not let it linger or carry over moving forward. A 10-game win streak is not a fluke, and this Sabres team showed they can play with anyone over that stretch. However, a losing streak can snowball almost quicker than any kind of win streak and wipe away all the ground this team has made over the past few weeks.