The suddenly surging Buffalo Sabres have inched their way back into playoff race with 8-3-1 run

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Someone evidently forgot to inform Dylan Cozens and the Buffalo Sabres that they were out of playoff contention when falling 12 points out of the race a month ago.

Then again, Cozens wouldn’t have accepted the notion even if someone had.

“Our belief is higher than ever right now,” Cozens said after scoring in a 4-0 win over the New York Islanders on Thursday night. “I think I said it a month ago, maybe weeks ago, that we still believe in this room that we can do it. And that’s what we’re doing right now.”

From dropping to 13th place in the Eastern Conference standings — and sitting closer to last than eighth — following a 4-3 loss to Anaheim on Feb. 19, the Sabres are enjoying a remarkable resurgence. They’ve gone 8-3-1 since and closed to within three points of the Islanders and Detroit Red Wings in the race for the conference’s final wild-card spot.