“We’re a good forechecking team. We’re a good offensive-zone team. The more that we can get to that, the better we’re going to be, the more momentum we’re going to have in games and the better chance we’re going to give ourselves to win games.”

Teams that don’t win games endure changes. The trade deadline is two weeks away. Buffalo is sitting in seller status.

“We obviously want to make the playoffs,” McCabe said. “To go along with that, we have a good group of guys in here. It’s no fun outside looking in, then come trade deadline you see guys go to other teams and you see buddies leave. That’s no fun.

“That’s almost a little extra motivation to string some games together here. Not only to get in the playoff race, but to show that this is the group that can get it done. We want to stick together and make things happen.”

The Sabres have had plenty of chances to make things happen. Instead, they have losses like the one Sunday.