Alex Tuch and Zach Quinn scored 15 seconds apart to make the score 3-0. Then Connor Bedard fumbled the puck with less than a minute left in the first, which led to a final rush for the Sabres. Dylan Cozens made it 4-0. They were firing on all cylinders and cycling, which made the Blackhawks uncomfortable all period.

What a difference a win makes. The second sellout crowd of the season at KeyBank Center erupted into the wave and sang along in unison throughout a jubilant third period. And there wasn’t an inflatable palm tree or frown-faced paper bag in sight.

The Buffalo Sabres finally turned the car out of the skid, crushing the New York Islanders before Christmas. That didn’t solve anything – it’s hard to feel great after losing 13 straight games – but at least it temporarily stopped discussions of who the team should trade for.