After all, the Sabres are mired in 13th place in the East, 18 points behind the Bruins and 11 points out of a playoff spot. But expecting an easy night in Buffalo would be a mistake, albeit one the Bruins have been guilty of numerous times this season.
"The one thing that we're well aware of is we haven't fared well against these teams that are out of the playoffs right now," Bruins coach Claude Julien said after Tuesday's practice. "We've got to be a little bit better. Right now our goal is to carry last game into this game here. I really felt we controlled most of the game and we did the things we normally do when we're successful. So can we bring that to Buffalo and repeat it? I think that's what our main focus is on."
After being mired in mediocrity with a 4-5-1 stretch, the Bruins finally found a bit of their old form in a convincing 4-1 win at Washington on Sunday. Maintaining that level of play Wednesday against the Sabres will be the key to showing that Boston has truly snapped out of its recent funk.
"I think we're mainly just trying to continue to play like we did against Washington," Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid said. "In the last little while, that was one of our better games. So maybe not worry so much about who we're playing, just make sure we're continuing to do the things that we did."
Who they play has been an issue for the Bruins though. So far this season, they are just 11-9-0 against the seven teams currently out of playoff position in the East. That includes getting swept in four games against last-place Carolina.
"The challenge is playing better against those types of teams," Julien said. "Just because they're where they are right now doesn't make them a bad team. It makes them a hungry team. So we certainly are aware of that and our focus is more about our play than it is about other teams at this stage."
McQuaid acknowledged the club's struggles against teams at the bottom of the standings, but doesn't believe it has been caused by taking anyone lightly.
"We need to be a little better in those situations," McQuaid said. "I don't know if they've been letups, but if you look at our record and it's not very good against some of the teams that are lower down in the standings. With that being said, it doesn't really matter where you are in the standings, because in this league right now is so competitive. On any given night, anyone can beat anyone, so you have to be prepared every night."
That will be especially true against Buffalo, which has plenty of incentive to beat the Bruins. Boston humiliated the Sabres at the Garden back on Nov. 12, not only beating them 6-2 but also exposing them as a soft team when no one stood up for goalie Ryan Miller after Milan Lucic barreled over him when the netminder ventured too far outside the crease.
The Sabres tried to exact a little belated revenge on Nov. 23 in Buffalo, but Lucic easily won a decision over Paul Gaustad in an early fight and the Bruins rallied for a 4-3 shootout win. Still, the Bruins are wary of the Sabres (22-24-6), who are 3-0-1 in their last four games.
"I think their record is deceiving," McQuaid said. "They have a really good team. For whatever reason they are where they are, but they have a lot of speed, a lot of skilled guys. At the same time they have some guys that can play a gritty game and good goaltending, so it's a pretty well balanced lineup."
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