Ryan Miller wasn't hiding from the facts. He made it clear Friday after the morning workout that he had been average at times this season, maybe a cut above. The cold, hard truth was that the Sabres' success this season largely depended on him, and he needed to play better if they were going anywhere.

And there was no hiding from the facts Friday night after he made a season-high 43 saves through three periods and overtime against the Rangers. It always begins and ends with the goaltender, and Miller would determine whether the Sabres would extend their winning streak to four games before heading off to Detroit for his homecoming.

He deserved better, Miller, he really did.

The Sabres had left him hanging for two periods before finding their legs, and the truth was they should have been showered and sitting on the charter over Lake Erie by the time he stood alone, once again, for the shootout. Sure enough, it would come down to old friend Chris Drury, a matchup between the man who made a commitment to Buffalo and the man the Sabres let get away.

Fate leaned toward Drury.

Captain Clutch had a knack for scoring big goals, for finding a way when it mattered most. The story line called for Drury returning to Buffalo and reminding the Sabres that they should have kept him rather than open the door to his departure.

Miller was writing his own happy ending after staring down Drury and waiting, sliding, reading and calmly kicking away a wrist shot that handed the Sabres a 2-1 shootout victory. The Sabres matched their longest winning streak this season going into tonight's matchup against the Red Wings, a terrific measuring stick to be sure.

Are they back?

We'll see, but they certainly wouldn't be battling for a playoff spot had it not been for Miller's play over the past four games. Remember, he raised the standards after his team's listless performance against Washington on Dec. 30. Since, he has allowed six goals and stopped 130 of 136 shots over that span, a 1.47 goals-against average and .956 save percentage. Those numbers make him worthy of being called a franchise goaltender.

"You can't predict a streak like this," Miller said. "I wanted to play better and that mixed with guys playing responsible hockey has helped. We pushed guys outside a lot and I had a good view of everything almost all night. I felt sharp and we got the crowd into the game and turned around with the way we played."

Funny, but Miller's play had been largely overlooked during the first three games of the winning streak. Jason Pominville and Derek Roy stole the headlines after scoring two goals apiece against Toronto. Journeyman Matt Ellis took over in Boston, marking Buffalo's best performance this season. Jarkko Ruutu took the bite from Miller's performance Tuesday against Ottawa.

But there was no ignoring Miller on Friday night. He kept the Sabres in the game through the first two periods, allowing only Paul Mara's soft wrister from the point that bounced off Roy and found the top corner. He was in control all night before finally winning a duel with Rangers backup Stephen Valiquette.

Miller, more than anything, has given his team an opportunity to win. Look around the league these days, and you can't find much difference between teams whether they're in fourth place or 10th. It usually comes down to the little things. The one goal Miller allowed was the result of Tim Connolly failing to clear the zone.

The Sabres had no legs, no jump, no passion for two periods at home Friday and should have lost by three goals. Goalies can't afford an off night when their team is straddling the line separating them from the postseason. The pressure can be unyielding, and there have been times over the years in which Miller didn't handle it well.

Too many times, there was that soft goal that left people shaking their heads and questioning his value. Miller justified his five-year contract extension worth $31.25 million over the past four games alone. He has proven that he can be as good as any goalie in this league.

As he stood in the crease Friday night waiting for his teammates to wake up from their evening snooze, with fans booing the daylights out of everyone but him, he kept himself together. He fought the inner battle, staying sharp when the Sabres were not. He made the difference. It begins and ends with their goaltender.

It always does.

"For the first half of our game tonight, we had one player," Sabres captain Craig Rivet said. "We didn't want to work, and [Miller] was the guy. He gave us a chance to stay in the game, and the guys pulled her out at the end."

For the Sabres, for Miller, for one night, it was the perfect ending.