The ’75-’76 Sabres pulled off what could be considered an upset by defeating the ’98-’99 Sabres in six games to advance to the Semifinal Round. (via sabres.nhl.com)
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.
| 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)
| 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
| 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
| 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
| 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
| 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!
