from Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News,

It's time for the Sabres to take some drastic measures. Right now.

They are a broken team, probably lucky that they're only three points out of the playoffs. A quick winning streak can get them right where they want to be, but they haven't won as many as two games in a row in nearly two months.

Do you get the feeling some big run is coming soon? Me either.

The sad and stark realization in the rear-view mirror is the 10-game winning streak that stood the town on its ear in November really was, in fact, one of the luckiest runs in recent NHL history.

This corner has bucked that viewpoint for a long time. The thinking was you just can't win that many games with a rabbit's foot, even if nine of the victories were by a single goal and seven game after regulation. That many close wins in a row is a trend, a group of players understanding the moment and making big plays at the right times.

Welp, I was wrong. This team has gone soft before our very eyes.

continued

Below, watch the highlights from Buffalo's 7-3 home loss to the Blackhawks.