(WGR 550) -- After 24 games, the Buffalo Sabres are one point out of a playoff spot, have the league's leading goal scorer and have lost seven of their last nine games.
On Tuesday, Lindy Ruff told them to erase it all.
"We had a lengthy meeting before we got, and we discussed where we want to go from here," Ruff said after Tuesday's practice. "We've put this part of the season behind us, and we're starting fresh. I told them that everybody's stats are the same, and we need the type of start to this part of the season that we had at the start (of the season)."
The team met with Ruff and the coaches for an hour before meeting players only, and then taking the ice for an unscheduled practice, one that lasted as long as any since the regular season began.
The "fresh start" went over well with the players, including captain Craig Rivet.
"That puts a smile on my face," Rivet said. "I think only Thomas Vanek was the one scratching his head on that one, because he's gotta give up 18 goals and start over again, but you know what? He bought right into it. The guys are excited. We had a good start to the season, and things have really slipped. They've slipped because of only the guys in this dressing room and what we've done. We're excited to have a clean slate, start new, and we're looking forward to next game."
Calling the road trip a great time to start fresh, Rivet did not ignore the past struggles, including some stinging words for the team's effort and play in Monday's 2-0 loss to Nashville as HSBC Arena, a game he missed with an upper body injury.
"The guys playing that game, the fans watching that game, it's just unacceptable hockey," Rivet said. "It is a bottom point. We have not played our best hockey in the last month and a half. Guys came in today with a frustrated look on their face, and we had some meetings today that are going to give us a fresh start."
"We just get away from our system. It's very simple. Our coaching staff puts a game plan that works. It's not any different from most game plans around the league. It's extremely hard to score goals right now, but there are ways to score. Most of the goals are scored right in front of the net."
On an afternoon when three players missed with injuries, it was notable that Rivet took to the practice ice despite not being well enough to compete the evening before. It was not something that escaped Ruff's notice.
"After the meeting we had today, the players had their own meeting, I think he wanted to make sure he went out and practiced," Ruff said. "He's been around long enough. He's been through the wars. He's seen long coaches meetings and he's seen long player meetings, and I think he took it upon himself to get out there and be a part of it."
It wasn't all lead by example, as Adam Mair talked about what was discussed in the meetings.
"We addressed how every team pretty much plays the same and it comes down to competing harder and not being the team to crack first," Mair said. "We have to get back to asking ourselves if we're hard to play against, and if we can look ourselves in the mirror and say, 'I was hard to play against tonight.' "
Derek Roy, Toni Lydman and Andrew Peters all suffered injuries Monday. Peters' injury was the most serious, as he came away with an abdominal strain. Roy is battling back spasms, while Lydman was sore after blocking a shot. All three players missed Tuesday's practice but Ruff expects at least two of the three back for the Panthers game Thursday.
Fresh start or not, Ruff could not refrain from another comment on Monday night's debacle.
"I was as frustrated standing there as any game that I can remember in recent history of not being able to turn the corner in a game," Ruff said. "It felt like the last preseason game where nobody wanted to do too much. There didn't seem to be much of an extra effort from either team. It was really tough to figure out."
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