The Sabres overtime loss to the Islanders on New Year\’s Eve left them at 8-22-5-2 and light years removed from the Stanley Cup playoff picture. Since the calendar turned, though, they are 6-1-2 and only a dozen or so points out of the race with 36 games left. C Stu Barnes, Buffalos captain, had difficulty pinpointing the source of the turnaround. Its just come together. Guys are doing their jobs, he said. Plus, if you look back at the way all season has gone, we have been in almost every game.