from Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News,

So when the casual what's-this-been-like question was posed to Jason Pominville around the noon hour Tuesday, he didn't answer at first. He laughed. Not at the question, mind you. But at the shocking way the Buffalo Sabres seem to be getting through every game.

"It's been fun, a lot of fun," Pominville said of the six-game winning streak that suddenly has propelled Buffalo into the high-rent district of the NHL standings. "I'll tell you what, it's been wild how we're finding ways to win. We didn't have many leads but we battled back to have them at the right time. Different guys stepped up, our goalies played great and the resiliency we've shown is pretty crazy."

After a seven-day stretch in which the Sabres beat Tampa Bay, Winnipeg, Minnesota and Pittsburgh, they're up to fourth overall in the NHL. They're three points behind Presidents' Trophy-leading Nashville, two behind Atlantic Division-leading Toronto after Monday's Houdini act in Pittsburgh, where a 4-1 deficit became a 5-4 overtime victory.

They're seven points inside the playoffs -- yes, inside them. Five points ahead of defending Stanley Cup champion Washington. Ten points ahead of Sidney Crosby-less Pittsburgh. Nine points ahead of the flying Connor McDavids in Edmonton and 11 in front of poor Ryan O'Reilly, now losing again in St. Louis.

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