'Less than a year ago, Ruff was a lame-duck coach for a team skating in circles. The Sabres beat division rival Montreal and conference foe the Islanders by a combined 11-2 in their first two games before waking up in the Habitat for Horrendous. If it wasn't one problem, it was another. In no time, they were reeling. No wonder Ruff was having flashbacks while thinking about the Bills.'