The 2nd-seeded ’98-’99 Sabres won the opening game of the series by a score of 4-3 with Miroslav Satan‘s third goal of the game being the game-winner with six plus minutes left in regulation. Danny Gare scored all three of the 7th-seeded ’75-’76 Sabres’ goals in Game 1. The ’75-’76 Sabres then took the next three games to open a 3-1 series lead. They won Game 2, 4-2, with goalie Gerry Desjardins stopping 29 of 30 shots against. The defensive pairing of Jocelyn Guevremont and Jerry Korab totaled a goal and five assists for six points in the Game 2 win. Then, they won Game 3 by a score of 5-1 behind a two-goal effort from Gilbert Perreault. It was another member of “The French Connection Line,” that led the way in Game 4 as Rick Martin potted two goals and added an assist in a 6-2 win. Then, in Game 5, Martin scored early in the third to give the ’75-’76 Sabres a 3-2 lead, but Satan tied the game seven plus minutes later, which forced overtime. Michal Grosek played the role of unlikely hero in overtime as he scored the game-winner for the ’98-’99 Sabres who avoided elimination with the win. However, the ’75-’76 Sabres would end the series in Game 6 with a 4-2 win thanks to four different goal scorers.

GAME 1:

1st Period 2nd Period 3rd Period Overtime Total ’75-’76 Sabres 0 2 1 — 3 ’98-’99 Sabres 0 3 1 — 4

GAME SUMMARY: ’98-’99 BUF – 4 ’75-’76 BUF – 3 (1-0 ’98-’99 BUF)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: LW – Miroslav Satan (’98-’99 BUF) – 3 G 0 A 3 P +3 7 S

2nd Star: RW – Danny Gare (’75-’76 BUF) – 3 G 0 A 3 P -1 15 S

3rd Star: G – Dominik Hasek (’98-’99 BUF) – W 3.00 GAA .940 SV% (47 SV’s)

GAME 2:

1st Period 2nd Period 3rd Period Overtime Total ’75-’76 Sabres 1 1 2 — 4 ’98-’99 Sabres 1 0 0 — 1

GAME SUMMARY: ’75-’76 BUF – 4 ’98-’99 BUF – 1 (1-1)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: D – Jocelyn Guevremont (’75-’76 BUF) – 1 G 2 A 3 P +3 4 S

2nd Star: D – Jerry Korab (’75-’76 BUF) – 0 G 3 A 3 P +3 2 S

3rd Star: C – Don Luce (’75-’76 BUF) – 1 G 1 A 2 P +1 6 S

GAME 3:

1st Period 2nd Period 3rd Period Overtime Total ’98-’99 Sabres 0 1 0 — 1 ’75-’76 Sabres 5 0 0 — 5

GAME SUMMARY: ’75-’76 BUF – 5 ’98-’99 BUF – 1 (2-1 ’75-’76 BUF)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: C – Gilbert Perreault (’75-’76 BUF) – 2 G 0 A 2 P +2 3 S

2nd Star: LW – Rick Martin (’75-’76 BUF) – 0 G 2 A 2 P +2 5 S

3rd Star: RW – Danny Gare (’75-’76 BUF) – 0 G 2 A 2 P +2 5 S

GAME 4:

1st Period 2nd Period 3rd Period Overtime Total ’98-’99 Sabres 1 0 1 — 2 ’75-’76 Sabres 4 1 1 — 6

GAME SUMMARY: ’75-’76 BUF – 6 ’98-’99 BUF – 2 (3-1 ’75-’76 BUF)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: LW – Rick Martin (’75-’76 BUF) – 2 G 1 A 3 P +3 8 S

2nd Star: RW – Rene Robert (’75-’76 BUF) – 2 G 1 A 3 P +2 7 S

3rd Star: C – Gilbert Perreault (’75-’76 BUF) – 0 G 4 A 4 P +2 4 S

GAME 5:

1st Period 2nd Period 3rd Period Overtime Total ’75-’76 Sabres 1 1 1 0 3 ’98-’99 Sabres 2 0 1 1 4

GAME SUMMARY: ’98-’99 BUF – 4 ’75-’76 BUF – 3 (OT) (3-2 ’75-’76 BUF)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: D – Alexei Zhitnik (’98-’99 BUF) – 1 G 2 A 3 P +1 4 S

2nd Star: LW – Michal Grosek (’98-’99 BUF) – 1 G 2 A 3 P Even 2 S

3rd Star: LW – Rick Martin (’75-’76 BUF) – 1 G 1 A 2 P Even 10 S 2 PIM

GAME 6:

1st Period 2nd Period 3rd Period Overtime Total ’98-’99 Sabres 1 1 0 — 2 ’75-’76 Sabres 2 1 1 — 4

GAME SUMMARY: ’75-’76 BUF – 4 ’98-’99 BUF – 2 (4-2 ’75-’76 BUF)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: RW – Danny Gare (’75-’76 BUF) – 1 G 1 A 2 P +1 6 S

2nd Star: C – Don Luce (’75-’76 BUF) – 1 G 1 A 2 P +1 5 S

3rd Star: D – Bill Hajt (’75-’76 BUF) – 1 G 1 A 2 P +1 4 S

Up next is the 3-6 matchup between the ’79-’80 Sabres and the ’97-’98 Sabres!