Sabres surge from worst to almost first

The Buffalo Sabres are on such a roll that captain Jack Eichel was having difficulty recalling the last time they lost.

“Um, was it Calgary?” Eichel said Monday, before being reminded the 2-1 overtime setback to the Flames was three losses ago.

“Yeah, Rangers, in New York,” he said, finally recalling a 3-1 loss on Nov. 4 that dropped Buffalo’s record to 7-6-2.

Nine games — and nine wins — later, the Sabres are the NHL’s biggest surprise two months into the season.

A year after going 25-45-12 and becoming the league’s first team to finish 31st following the addition of the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, the surging Sabres (16-62) have 34 points and sit one back of league-leading Tampa Bay and Nashville.

“Just to think of where we came from a year ago, and to be winning games and doing this, obviously it’s great,” Eichel said.

The Sabres were so bad a year ago, they didn’t register their 16th victory until Feb. 10, and won consecutive games only four times, including a season-best 3-0 run in late January.

Buffalo’s nine-game streak is the NHL’s longest since Columbus won 10 straight games in March, and it’s one short of matching the Sabres’ franchise record set twice and most recently when they opened 2006-07 on a 10-0 run. The Sabres would match that streak if they beat the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.

One big difference this season has been the addition of rookie No. 1 draft pick Rasmus Dahlin, whose effortless skating and deft playmaking ability have energized what had been a plodding group of defencemen.

Dahlin’s two goals and 13 points are tied for second among NHL rookies. And he’s part of a defensive group that has already contributed 12 goals after managing just 19 last season.