For the first time in a long time, the Buffalo Sabres have a few days to exhale.

Saturday's 11-round shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche ended a stretch that saw the

Sabres play 20 games in 38 nights — and they went a remarkable 13-4-3 to take control of

the Northeast Division and move into contention for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Sabres have played at least three games a week for 11 straight weeks. They haven't had

four days off since the break that followed their Oct. 3 season opener against Montreal.

Finally, they have four days off and just two games this week. Their long-awaited respite

started Sunday.

The Sabres stayed away from the ice in the first of four days off before a seven-game road

trip opens Thursday in Atlanta. They'll practice the next three days in HSBC Arena and then

won't be back in town until their Jan. 27 game against New Jersey.

But for all the rest this team probably needs at this point, coach Lindy Ruff is worried.

No surprise. Coaches are worrywarts by nature. The Sabres haven't lost in regulation since

Dec. 23 at Washington. They've got a lot of momentum going. Sure, they need rest. But Ruff is

intent on not letting rest turn into rust.

"I get scared when we have too many days off," Ruff said after Saturday's game. "Then I get

scared when we play too much. Half the time I just spend being scared.

"It's true. We complain when we get too many days off, then we complain when we don't get

enough days off. We'll give them a day off, then we've got three practice days. One of those

days we've got to go real hard to simulate game condition, then we've got to rest up because

we've got a real tough trip coming."

Saturday's shootout loss ended Buffalo's six-game winning streak. The Sabres are 7-0-3 in

their last 10 home games but seem equally comfortable away from HSBC Arena as they are 12-6-0

overall on the road. Only New Jersey and St. Louis have fewer road losses this season, but the

Blues' total is rendered completely moot by their 6-14-3 disaster at home that cost coach Andy

Murray his job last week.

"Guys can heal up their bumps and bruises," winger Clarke MacArthur said. "You're looking at

the road for a couple weeks and we have to be ready to compete out there. There are some good

teams and big bodies so we have to be ready."

Following the game in Atlanta, the Sabres head to Long Island for a matchup with the

Islanders on Saturday night. Then it's time for see-the-USA with a little bit of Canada thrown

in. The schedule has them in Phoenix on Jan. 18, Anaheim on Jan. 19, Los Angeles on Jan. 21,

San Jose on Jan. 23 and Vancouver on Jan. 25.

"It's good to get some rest and practice," goaltender Patrick Lalime added. "Even at this

time of the year, you want to make sure you're sharp. With a big road trip coming up, you want

to recharge the battery and make sure you're ready for it."

Lalime will definitely spell Ryan Miller some on the trip, with either the Phoenix or

Anaheim games certain to be one of his appearances. Ruff will probably spot him in net at

least one other time as well.

There's no reason for the Sabres to fret Lalime's work anymore. Since returning from his

conditioning assignment in Portland, Lalime is 3-0-2 with a 1.66 goals-against average and

.949 save percentage. And he made seven saves in Saturday's shootout as well.

"At that point, you're just thinking, "Who's next?' said winger Thomas Vanek, who had one

of the three goals in Buffalo's 11 attempts. "Patty was great but we've got to put a few more

in."

This week's break is the last one the Sabres will have before the Olympics. They come back

from Vancouver and have little time to rest for the Devils and a Jan. 29 visit from Boston. In

fact, the Sabres' final 10 games before the Olympic break will come in just 19 days.

"We've got a few guys who are a little bit nicked up so it's a good break," Ruff said. "The

guys in that room have worked real hard. We found a way to get a point [Saturday] and we've

worked extremely hard to put together six in a row. Now we know we've got a real demanding

road trip."

. . .

Zack Kassian, the Peterborough forward who was Buffalo's No. 1 pick in last June's draft,

was traded Sunday by the Petes to the Windsor Spitfires in a major deal on the eve of the

Ontario Hockey League's trading deadline. Windsor is coached by former Sabres defenseman Bob

Boughner.

Kassian has struggled some this year with a minus-18 rating, a shoulder injury and a

one-game suspension for missing curfew. He was also passed over for Team Canada's entry into

the World Junior Championships.

But Kassian is still a point-a-game player in 27 games (eight goals, 19 assists). He had 24

goals and 29 assists in 61 games last year.

. . .

The Sabres Foundation will host its fifth annual Aces & Blades casino night Feb. 26 from

7-11:30 p.m. in the arena. Tickets are $125 each or $110 on purchases of five or more.

The event features gaming with current and former Sabres acting as dealers, live and silent

sports memorabilia auctions, as well as food and drink. Tickets are available at Sabres.com or

by calling 855-4417.