The Buffalo Sabres, who just won their third game in their last five contests, look like a completely different team from the one that went 18-straight games without a win.
Even in efforts where maybe it seems like they get outplayed, the Sabres still are finding the back of the net when necessary, and that was certainly on display Tuesday night in Buffalo's 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark.
Let's take a look at three observations from Tuesday night's game:
1.) Rasmus Dahlin shines offensively for Sabres
If the Sabres have anyone to thank for keeping them in this game, one of them is certainly defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Dahlin made two key offensive plays, which both lead to important goals for the Sabres when they needed them most.
The first moment came in the second period when Sabres forward Riley Sheahan found Dahlin with space at the point. Dahlin didn't panic when pressured, moving the puck to a spot with more space, where he confidently took advantage of what was given to him and fired a puck past Devils goaltender Scott Wedgewood.
The next moment came midway through the third period on the Sabres' second power play of the night. The Sabres haven't exactly made things easy for themselves with the man advantage, only scoring one time on the power play over the last 22 games.
Dahlin took things into his own hands on Buffalo's second opportunity, preventing a sure Devils breakaway by Pavel Zacha by using his body to keep the floating puck in New Jersey's zone. He skated the puck toward the slot and found Casey Mittelstadt in front of the net, waiting to tap the puck into the net to give the Sabres a lead for good.
Dahlin will be a player to watch over the last stretch of games for the Sabres. The 21-year-old struggled early in the season under former Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger, but Dahlin seems to have found new life with interim coach Don Granato.
2.) Another solid outing from Linus Ullmark
At this point, it's no surprise that Sabres goaltender Linus Ullmark continues to turn in quality performances for Buffalo.
Tuesday night was no different.
The Devils outshot the Sabres 30-18, but Ullmark did everything he could to keep the Sabres in it, stopping 27 of the 30 shots taken by New Jersey.
Since his return, Ullmark is 3-1-1 with a .921 save percentage. He's clearly separated himself as the Sabres' No. 1 option in net. The biggest problem with Ullmark continues to be his availability, along with his upcoming unrestricted status as a free agent.
It will be interesting to see what happens to Ullmark with the NHL Trade Deadline fast approaching on Monday at 3 p.m. ET.
3.) Mittelstadt making the most of his opportunity
With injuries to a number of different Sabres centers, forward Casey Mittelstadt has had a unique opportunity recently to earn himself a bigger role for Buffalo.
Since being elevated to a top-six role since Curtis Lazar's injury, Mittelstadt has made his presence known offensively, picking up two goals and five points in his last four games.
The former eighth overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft had a rocky start to his career. From signing his first pro contract and playing in the final games of the 2017-18 season, to being sent down to the Rochester Americans and having to earn his way back, to this season, where he seems to have taken back control of his NHL career.
Mittelstadt has had a number of opportunities this year to show he belongs, and he's done a great job proving himself in those situations.
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The Sabres and Devils will travel to Buffalo for their second tilt in a home-and-home series. They'll have Wednesday off from game action, but come Thursday night, they'll be facing off at KeyBank Center for the final time this season.
We'll get things started at 6 p.m. ET with the Paul William Beltz Pregame Show hosted by the Bulldog. They'll take you through the hour leading up to puck drop, scheduled for just after 7 p.m. ET on the flagship station of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.