BUFFALO, N.Y. — The problem with watching Henrik and Daniel Sedin from afar is you see how good they are only at playing hockey.

“I’ve always respected how good they are,” Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning says. “But being around these guys and seeing them on a game-to-game basis and how hard they work in practice, like, that’s the thing. They’re relentless in their attitude to want to work hard and compete. That’s what we want our culture to be. Those two guys are our leaders and it all starts with them.”

For nearly a decade, it has started with the Sedins. It still does. Benning is just finally seeing it first-hand after leaving the Boston Bruins to take over in Vancouver and guide the Canucks through their most significant transition since the Sedins rose to prominence two general managers and two head coaches ago.

Because this is about the Sedins, a few of you are already screeching about their deficiencies or their contracts or their inability to win a Stanley Cup — that unpardonable sin the twins share with every other player in franchise history.

You get the Sedins or you don’t. And if you still don’t get them after 14 years, after the Sedins grew up before your eyes and have devoted nearly half their lives to this hockey team, you’re probably not going to change your opinion of them now.

But for all that they’ve done — the past scoring titles and major awards, all those playoff appearances and the Stanley Cup near-miss — little has been impressive as the impact the Sedins are having on teammates and the opposition at age 34 during this most remarkable month for the Canucks.

The injury-crisis that peaked (Benning hopes) at eight players on Sunday and has reduced the defence to Dan Hamhuis and the Utica Comets, which sounds like a pretty good swing band, did not scuttle the Canuck season or expose the Sedins. It provided the conditions for their finest hour.

The Canucks were a better team in and around 2010-11. But they were not as endearing as they are now — all effort and grit and determination while going 6-2 the last two weeks despite missing a third of their lineup.

All of the wins came against teams in playoff positions before Wednesday’s National Hockey League schedule, four of them on the road where the Canucks lead everyone with 19 wins.

“It was fun back then, too,” Henrik says of 2011. “But this is totally different. For us and for the fans and for the city, to be part of this where you can see young guys coming up … and every game you have Ronnie (Kenins) and Bo (Horvat) showing up, it’s exciting.

“It’s more about where we are as a team. This is like the playoffs. And for us, I think we play more of a complete game than we ever have. We take more faceoffs in our own end, we play more PK. It feels like we’re having our most complete year.”

Since the injury crisis became grave with the Feb. 14 loss of top-pairing defencemen Alex Edler and Chris Tanev, Henrik has nine points in five games, Daniel seven. And the Canucks are 4-1, including 3-1 on a road trip that ends Thursday night against the Buffalo Sabres.

At 55 points through 60 games, Henrik is tied with Steven Stamkos and Joe Pavelski for 15th in NHL scoring, two points and four places ahead of Daniel.

The brothers have already soared past their point totals from the disastrous season under one-and-done coach John Tortorella, although the Sedins aren’t going to finish anywhere near their 100-point-plus Art Ross Trophy campaigns.

“I don’t think 100 points is going to happen for anyone,” Daniel says, referring to the point-per-game NHL scoring leaders. “That’s never been a thing for us either, trying to get as many points as possible. It’s always been about winning games.

“Last season was so disappointing. I think we all wanted to come back and prove to ourselves that we could make it back to the playoffs. We have a few young guys coming in, a new coach and new management and it’s been refreshing for sure. Especially the young guys coming in, pushing us … they’re just going to make us better.”

Asked if he thinks he and his brother or their team have surprised skeptics, Daniel says: “I honestly don’t follow what people say but most people, I’m sure, didn’t believe we could keep winning. When you have injuries, it can go either way. Either you start losing games or you come together as a team and find ways to win, and that’s been the most rewarding thing. I think we’ve shown this year we can still play and have an impact on our team.”

“I know how there’s talk about them,” Benning says. “But these two guys are as mentally tough as any player in the league. Not only that, they play a heavy game. They play a cycle game and you get hit a lot when you play that style. But they never complain. They get hit, they keep the puck, they keep making plays. The mental toughness these guys play with is amazing to see. It looks like they’re not slowing down.”

WHO’S NEXT? | Vancouver Canucks @ Buffalo Sabres

RECENT FORM

A 40-save performance from goaltender Eddie Lack helped the Canucks edge the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Tuesday, improving to 3-1 on their tough road trip and 5-2 during an epic injury crisis. Vancouver leads the NHL with 19 road victories. The Sabres beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 on Tuesday but are one of the worst teams in years. They are 5-22-3 over the last 10 weeks, 30th in NHL scoring, tied for 29th in goals-against, 30th on the power play and 29th short-handed.

WHO’S HOT?

RW Zack Kassian has four goals, including two game-winners, in three games since going from the press box to the first line beside C Henrik Sedin, who has nine points during a five-game scoring streak. G Eddie Lack has allowed only one goal in 84 shots over parts of three games. RW Jannik Hansen has points in seven of eight games … Sabres G Michael Neuvirth has allowed only 11 goals while going 2-2-2 in his last six starts.

WHO’S NOT?

Canucks LW Chris Higgins has one goal in 26 games. LW Daniel Sedin has gone seven without a goal, but has seven assists during that span … Ex-Canuck Cody Hodgson’s goal for the Sabres in Columbus was his first in 23 games, and just his third point. RW Chris Stewart has one goal in 11 games and RW Brian Gionta two goals in 18. C Torrey Mitchell hasn’t scored in 28 games.

INJURIES

Canucks: GM Jim Benning confirmed Wednesday that G Ryan Miller (knee) is out four to six weeks. Ds Frankie Corrado (upper body), Chris Tanev (concussion), Alex Edler (upper body) and Kevin Bieksa (hand), C Brad Richardson (ankle) and LW Alex Burrows (lower body) are also hurt. Sabres: Their long injury list includes Cs Tyler Ennis (lower body) and Zemgus Girgensons (foot) Ds Josh Georges (lower body) and Mike Weber, and RW Evander Kane (shoulder).

QUOTEBOOK

“That’s the beauty of our group — we show up every night and work hard and it doesn’t matter who the opposition is. Even on the nights where maybe things don’t go our way, I’m still confident that our team is going to show up and work hard.” — Canucks GM Jim Benning on facing the last-overall Sabres.

imacintyre@vancouversun.com

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