BUFFALO - Despite clinching their first playoff spot in five years, the Buffalo Sabres are hardly ready to celebrate.

“For a while we figured we were going to be in the playoffs,” forward Mike Grier said following Tuesday's practice. “So just to officially clinch it, I don't think it gives us any reason to have a letdown.”

Buffalo's dramatic shootout win over Toronto on Monday night helped end the longest post-season drought in the franchise's 36-year history. The Sabres' last playoff appearance was in 2001 when they eventually lost to Pittsburgh in the second round.

“We set a goal to be in the playoffs,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “We've set higher goals now. This is an opportunity you don't take for granted. We're proud of where the team is at.”

Picked my many preseason prognosticators to finish near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the Sabres, who have seven games remaining, have surprised many.

“Instead of battling for a spot, we're looking down and realizing we were there once, and that we made some tremendous strides,” Ruff said.

“That's a big step for our team,” added center Adam Mair. “Now we have to move forward.”

The Sabres have been struggling the last few weeks. Their win over the Maple Leafs is just their second in the past 10 games.

“The Sabres are known as a team that is relentless on the puck and that skates all the time. I don't think we were doing that as much lately,” co-captain Daniel Briere said. ‘We have to go back to basics and do the little things we were doing when we were winning.”

A big reason for Monday's victory was backup goalie Martin Biron, who stopped 31 shots, including 14 in the final period.

“He made a couple of fabulous saves,” Ruff said. “We had a couple of breakdowns that Marty covered up. That's the effort we needed.”

The showing may warrant Biron getting more work down the stretch in place of starter Ryan Miller, who has allowed three or more goals in 10 of his last 11 starts. Ruff, however, skirted the issue Tuesday.

The Sabres are also on the threshold of eclipsing some franchise marks before the postseason tournament begins. Buffalo needs four wins to pass the team mark of 49 victories set by the 1974-75 club that lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to Philadelphia. Buffalo also needs just two more road wins to accumulate the most all-time victories away from home, breaking the 23 road wins set by the 1983-84 team.

“We want to get some confidence and start playing the right way heading into the playoffs,” Grier said. “I don't think you want to go into the playoffs playing as poorly as we've been playing. Hopefully this is a good start for us.”

Notes: Sabres forward Jochen Hecht will be lost for two weeks with a sprained ligament in his left knee following a hit by Toronto's Darcy Tucker in the third period of Buffalo's 3-2 shootout win over the Maple Leafs on Monday night. Midway through the period, Buffalo's Mike Grier flattened Tucker with a hard check just inside the Toronto zone. Tucker retaliated by going after Hecht near center ice, brushing Hecht's head with his elbow while the players' knees collided. The league informed the Sabres on Tuesday that no disciplinary action would be taken.

“That really bothers me,” coach Lindy Ruff said following practice Tuesday. “I disagree with it. They agreed that his elbow grazed the head, and to me, that's a shot to the head. When you're going after somebody's head, you've got intent to hurt. Don't tell me the knee is accidental after that. He knew exactly what he was doing, and should pay a price for it.”