They're awarding the fabled green jacket this weekend at Augusta National and the Buffalo

Sabres have been passing finery of their own around their locker room in recent games as they

headed toward their Northeast Division championship.

Steve Montador, Nathan Gerbe and Tim Kennedy have all been spotted wearing it after

victories. Drew Stafford got the honors Tuesday night after the team's 5-2 win over the New

York Rangers that wrapped up the division title. He hopes to pass it on tonight if the Sabres

can beat the Boston Bruins in TD Garden.

Stafford, fighting to keep his spot on the playoff roster, had several strong offensive

forays and finally scored his first goal in 16 games Tuesday. Afterward, he held court with

reporters wearing the cream color jacket with the old-style Sabres logo on the right breast, a

white handkerchief in the left pocket and the word "Will" inscribed on the back.

A group of Sabres passed a stuff pigeon around last year to a key player after many wins.

The coaching staff got involved this year and pulled out the jacket during the team's recent

trek to Florida. It's quickly caused quite a stir of Internet discussion when it's been

spotted on television.

"It's pretty cool. Makes it a little extra fun when you win," Stafford said. "We got

together and figured out something we could do after games. A lot of teams do things but we

didn't want to be like other teams. We wanted our own thing."

The previous winner makes his choice of the new winner and helps him into the jacket, ala

the tradition of the green jacket getting passed from one Masters golf winner to the next.

"The [new] guy gets up to give a speech and it's pretty funny what he has to say," Kennedy

said. "It's another way to bring the team together."

"It's an idea that knocked around with the players and coaches and we came up with it,"

said coach Lindy Ruff. "It's a little bit of creative thinking."

Stafford needs to get a little more creative with his play if he wants to stay on the

roster for the playoffs. Thomas Vanek should be back by the weekend and Tyler Ennis (eight

points in seven games) is making a serious push to stay. If and when Patrick Kaleta and Tim

Connolly are ready to play, Gerbe is probably going back to the minors but someone else will

have to sit too.

Stafford has 14 goals in 69 games in the first season of his two-year, $3.8 million deal

— but just five goals since the calendar hit 2010. He has been better of late with 19

shots on goal in the last five games.

"It's been a long time coming," Stafford said of his goal. "It feels really good finally to

be able to contribute on the scoresheet to a win. Hopefully I'll keep going. I've had quite a

few shots and chances ... For me, it came down to working and getting pucks on the net."

Stafford added a beautiful assist on Toni Lydman's goal and his first two-point game since

Feb. 5 made him the best-dressed guy on clinching night.

"It brings out a lot of smiles in here," Lydman said of the jacket. "It's fit well on every

guy so far."

. . .

The Sabres had a quick, 30-minute workout Wednesday in the arena before heading to Boston.

They have three games left and would likely finish second in the East if they win them all.

"We're happy and I told the players to be proud of their accomplishment," Ruff said. "There

were four other teams that would trade places with us.

"I'd like to win every game. It gives an opportunity if we run the table to finish second.

That's a realistic goal."