from John Vogl of the Buffalo News,

This one is memorable because it was so utterly forgettable.

“It was a terrible game by us,” defenseman Robyn Regehr said. “What we were missing was the effort from everyone, and I think the fans recognized that. They were voicing their displeasure.”

The Sabres propped themselves up following Sunday’s one-goal loss to Pittsburgh by pointing to their effort and determination against one of the NHL’s elite teams. There was little to laud after losing to a club that had dropped three straight and seven of nine.

“We’ve got to take a hard look at everything,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “That’s what we have to do. We really do.”

They can start with controllable characteristics such as effort, determination and willingness to win, but they need to examine their talent level, too. Passing remains askew, turnovers are plentiful and play in all zones is lacking.

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