‘“It’s important that players understand this team means so much to the people of Buffalo,” Peca told The Buffalo News. “We know what the winters are like in Buffalo. It can get gray, and people look for something a little bit better on a day-to-day basis to cheer them up, and sports can do that. The hockey team has done that. It’s a blue-collar town and they want guys to work hard. The message to the guys was basically, we have to put work ahead of skill. You’ve got to make sure you understand you’re playing for more than yourself.”‘