Drew Stafford is a hit on YouTube and throughout the blogosphere for the hilarious intermission feature that aired last week on MSG. It starred the deadpanning Buffalo Sabres winger in a perfect spoof of Festivus, the fictional holiday born in one of the more famous episodes of "Seinfeld."

As for Stafford's play on the ice? Well, to quote Frank Costanza from the show, Stafford probably feels like it will take a Festivus Miracle for him to put the puck in the net again.

Stafford had gone without a goal for 15 straight games before coach Lindy Ruff did a Festivus-style airing of grievances with him and made him a healthy scratch for the first time this season Sunday in St. Louis.

That indignity was heightened by the fact the Sabres have injuries up front — and Ruff still decided to skate defenseman Andrej Sekera at forward and send Stafford to the press box to watch for a night.

Looks like Ruff hopes the message was sent and the lesson was learned. Stafford showed up to work Monday in HSBC Arena and he was back on the third line with Clarke MacArthur and Paul Gaustad. That's where he'll likely start tonight, when the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins come to town for the second time in 11 days.

"I knew I had to be better," Stafford said. "For a few games there, I wasn't playing like how I need to play. It's definitely something I've had to deal with and make sure I'm putting the work in. Obviously [going to the press box] is not what you want to do for a solution but if that's what it takes, then so be it. I have to accept that."

Stafford clearly put the work in Monday, spending an extra half-hour on the ice after practice with injured teammate Nathan Gerbe and backup goaltender Patrick Lalime. After posting career highs of 20 goals and 45 points last season, Stafford has just seven goals and 16 points thus far in 35 games this year. His last goal was Nov. 27 in Philadelphia.

The lack of production has been alarming. The former No. 1 choice is 24 years old and got a two-year, $3.8 million contract at the start of training camp. His goal totals have gone from 13 to 16 to 20 in his three previous seasons and visions of a 30-goal campaign were certainly legitimate.

Stafford has spent plenty of time as a first-line right winger for the Sabres the last two years but has been dropped to the fourth line twice in the last five games. After back-to-back minus-2 outings — including just 7:50 of ice time Saturday against Ottawa — Ruff had seen enough.

"He's had a tough run from a scoring standpoint," Ruff said. "There hasn't been a lot of production. Sometimes if you sit a game, it helps. You get to watch and the next time you get in, you're even hungrier."

Ruff said his decision to sit Stafford wasn't based on the winger's offensive slump creeping into his defensive play.

"I really just looked at his production," Ruff said. "Sometimes you try to do too much and overhandle [the puck]. We found situations where if he was just quicker to pull the trigger, he'd probably get the extra opportunity. I guess a player gets in a situation and second-guesses himself.

"Once you get inside that key area, you better think selfish because if you get inside there and you've got a chance to pull the trigger, I don't think there's any better play."

Stafford, one of several Sabres guilty of overpassing, said he understands he probably needs to be more selfish when a scoring chance presents itself.

"Right now I'll take [a goal] off my shinpad or off my chest," he said. "But at the same time I'll take one going to the net and shooting too because I haven't had one of those in a while."

Stafford has been notoriously hard on himself in the past and the frustration often appears in his demeanor on the ice. He said he's also trying to work on that part of his game.

"It's a matter of how you respond," he said. "You don't want to dwell on things, let a lot of negativity creep in. In this kind of situation, you have to be a pro about it, keep your dauber up, put the work in for you and your teammates. You don't want to let them down."