MONTREAL — The Buffalo Sabers said owner Terry Pegula’s visit was an “important” message that could help them break a 10-game losing streak.

“It was unbelievable what he did – he showed,” coach Lindy Ruff said on Tuesday. “Terry cares. He’s passionate about what’s happening here and him taking the time to come here meant a lot to everyone.

“I thought it was great. I think any time the owner is that interested in coming in, it sends a message that resonates throughout the entire locker room.”

The meeting took place Monday at the Bell Center after Pegula flew to Montreal, where the Sabers will play the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, MSG-B).

“It was important,” forward Dylan Cozens said. “For him to come here and talk to us means a lot to him. This team is very important to him. He cares deeply about the success of this team.”

Buffalo was 11-9-1 after a 4-2 win at the San Jose Sharks on Nov. 23. The Sabers (11-16-4) have gone 0-7-3 since then and sit in seventh place in the Atlantic Division, one point ahead of the Canadiens.

“We talked in the room and what was said will just stay in the room between us as players,” Cozens said.

Striker Tage Thompson also declined to reveal the contents of Pegula’s message, but agreed it showed how much he cares about the team.

“I think that message is something we’re going to keep internally and between the guys in this room,” Thompson said. “But yes, I think it is important that we stick together in this situation. And I just think it clearly shows that our owner wants to come here and talk to us.”

Pegula bought the Sabers in February 2011. They reached the Stanley Cup playoffs that season but have not returned since, marking the longest losing streak in the NHL.

Ruff is the winningest coach in Sabers history and has franchise records in regular season games coached (1,166), regular season wins (571), playoff games coached (101) and playoff during his first stint with the Sabres -Siegen (57) set up organization from 1997-98 to 2012-13.

He was reinstated on April 22 and assumed full responsibility for the current skid on Sunday.

“Obviously it’s up to me to solve it,” he said after a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. “This is the most difficult solution I have ever seen. But it’s up to me to put these guys in the right place to win a hockey game.

But Thompson said it’s up to all of the Sabers to turn things around.

“I think that’s why (Ruff) has been so successful because he looks in the mirror,” Thompson said. “It’s nice of him to say that, but it’s not on him, it’s on the guys in this room, starting with myself. “He can give us everything we need. He can do X’s and O’s, but he can’t go out there and compete on the ice like we can in this room.

“So ultimately he can take responsibility for it, but it has to be the guys in that room who lace it up and go out there and compete. And like I said, it starts with me and continues.”