Some ugly numbers
Sunday's 4-2 loss to Detroit was the Sabres' final game of the season against the Western Conference as the last 16 will all be within the East. Buffalo finished 4-6 against the West with wins over Nashville, Chicago, San Jose and Dallas. The losses were to Detroit, Columbus, St. Louis, Anaheim, Phoenix and Los Angeles. The Sabres did not play the Northwest Division this season.
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---Derek Roy had just his second minus-3 game of the season (the other was Nov. 2 against Florida) and saw his career-best point streak end at eight games.
---Thomas Vanek finished February with a league-high 13 goals, a career best for a month. But he has just one goal over his last five games and was minus-2 with only one shot on goal Sunday.
---Maxim Afinogenov's assist on Patrick Kaleta's goal was his first point since he had two on Dec. 22 in Philadelphia. Afinogenov missed 25 games with a torn groin muscle before returning Friday against Montreal.
---Lots of understandable hype over Steve Bernier's debut Wednesday against Nashville but he's been pretty ordinary in the last two games: A minus-1 rating in each and no shots on goal in 18 shifts totaling 17:13 on Sunday.
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All those games in hand gone. That cushy five-game homestand gone to the tune of 1-3-1. From sixth place to ninth in the East in eight days. Is this team dust in the post-Brian Campbell era? Is it too early to call Tuesday's game in Philly a last stand?
---Mike Harrington
