Lindy Ruff shakes things up as Sabres attempt to end playoff drought: Notebook

ARLINGTON, Va. — Lindy Ruff didn’t like the way the Buffalo Sabres skated or competed against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night. So on Friday afternoon, he put them through an intense practice ahead of their Saturday night game against the Washington Capitals.Thursday night against the Senators wasn’t a one-off. The Sabres have been in a bit of a funk for the last couple of weeks. They are 2-2-2 in their last six games, and the loss to the Senators left Mattias Samuelsson thinking they played “too cute” and Ruff noting that the Senators competed harder than the Sabres did. Considering the Sabres had a chance to clinch a playoff spot and end the franchise’s league-record postseason drought with a win, hearing about a lack of urgency is hardly encouraging. But after sleeping it off and watching video, Ruff had a more pragmatic view of the team’s situation.Advertisement