Decorating the corridor connecting Lindy Ruff's office and the home dressing room in HSBC Arena are four grainy black-and-white photographs from the 1970s, which provide a brief but entertaining cruise down memory lane and a reminder for the Sabres every time they walk out the door.

Ruff said he was trying to create a brighter atmosphere while making his players appreciate

the good players before them. The French Connection was one of the famed lines in NHL history,

but the freewheeling forwards with the flowing hair aren't included in the hallway collection.

Their absence could be perceived as an oversight if not for one picture in particular.

It shows steady Bill Hajt shoulder to shoulder with Kansas City Scouts goon Steve Durbano.

Durbano was straight from central casting for the movie "Slap Shot" with his headband,

menacing eyes and long curly hair. Let's just say he didn't win many beauty contests. He had

13 goals and 1,127 penalty minutes for four teams over six NHL seasons. The guy looks like a

savage.

"The way our division is shaping up," Ruff said after the morning workout, "we might have

to dress Steve Durbano."

Ruff is always good for a well-placed wisecrack, but there was no ignoring the

not-so-subtle message he was sending to his players. The Sabres were soft and lacked passion

last season. If they're going anywhere this year, they'll need to embrace old-time hockey and

an old-school work ethic. He wants them playing with an attitude.

Nobody is suggesting the Sabres roll out a roster of goons, but they can't get pushed

around like they did last season and expect to make the playoffs. They need to play tougher,

smarter, harder and, yes, a little dirtier if they're going to compete against the better

teams.

Who better to give Buffalo the bite it needed than a couple of Buffalo kids?

Exhibit A: Patrick Kaleta. The feisty forward from Angola helped create two chances on the

first shift for the fourth line in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Canadiens and was a nuisance

Saturday night. He also drew a penalty after outworking Glen Metropolit. Six seconds later,

Tim Connolly netted the first goal of the season.

Exhibit B: Tim Kennedy. The second-line center from South Buffalo was trying to shake a

puck from Carey Price's pads when Ryan O'Byrne decked him from behind in the first period. The

Sabres didn't score on the ensuing power play but you can bet the rookie, sporting a bruised

cheekbone afterward, earned his place as one of the boys.

"It's getting the pack mentality back again," winger Thomas Vanek said. "We've put a lot of

emphasis on that in training camp and the practices. We're going to have to continue that so

it carries into the games."

Overall, other than the result, it was a good night for the Sabres. They lost but never

backed down. That alone is progress.

General Manager Darcy Regier isn't going to win executive of the year for his work in the

offseason, but at least he made an attempt to address obvious flaws when he signed winger Mike

Grier and defenseman Steve Montador. They give the Sabres a stronger backbone without getting

involved in senseless scraps found in the schoolyard.

To me, that's toughness.

It's a minor change that could make a significant difference for a team that had too many

listless nights a year ago. Talent wasn't the issue. The Sabres had enough to make the

playoffs last season. Their lack of aggression, lack of competitiveness, lack of heart

ultimately sabotaged their season.

In fact, there were several good signs Saturday. Rookie Tyler Myers was thrust into every

situation and was their best player. He's a keeper. Offseason whipping boy Henrik Tallinder

played well alongside Big T. Montador took a dumb penalty but otherwise was solid in his

debut. The Sabres allowed one shot on goal in the third period. They played hard and they

played together.

"We hung in there, hung tight, came as a group and held together," Sabres goalie Ryan

Miller said. "Something like that happens, and you get five guys in there. You don't want to

spend all night doing that stuff but when called upon we got right in there."

One thing abundantly clear in the opener was that the Sabres are committed getting the puck

deep and outworking their opponents. The speed and skill that once made them so effective has

been neutralized since the lockout. Pretty goals from the perimeter aren't as readily

available, which puts a premium on grinders and grit.

Vanek could score 30 goals within six feet of the crease this season. Fans will come to

appreciate the Sabres' third line, where plumbers Paul Gaustad, Jochen Hecht and Grier can be

found. The fourth line will be more effective this season than last. The gap between the top

two and bottom two lines has narrowed.

Thank the salary cap for a tighter league. On most nights, a play that looks routine could

wind up making the difference between winning and losing. It places more emphasis on winning

battles in the corners, forcing the puck into the slot area, playing good defense, getting

good goaltending and doing the little things.

So ugly it will be.

Steve Durbano, of all people, will be there to remind them.