
It was Rene Robert’s turn to step up on the French Connection Line as he led the top seed offensively in the Semifinal Round. (via hhof.com)
The top-seeded ’74-’75 Sabres took the opening game of the series by a score of 5-2 with wingers Rick Dudley and Danny Gare leading the way. Dudley posted a goal and two assists while Gare netted two goals. Goaltender Gary Bromley stopped 39 of 41 shots against. The 4th-seeded ’06-’07 Sabres rebounded with a 4-2 win in Game 2. Maxim Afinogenov was the only player to post more than one point in the win for the ’06-’07 Sabres as he registered a goal and an assist. In Game 3, Rene Robert scored late in the second period to tie the game 2-2 for the ’74-’75 Sabres. Then, Daniel Paille scored late in the third for the ’06-’07 Sabres, which turned out to be the game-winner, and gave the ’06-’07 Sabres a 2-1 series lead. The ’74-’75 Sabres tied the series 2-2 on the back of four goals in the second period as they went on to win 6-3. In Game 5, the ’06-’07 Sabres scored four goals in the first period and then held on late for a 5-4 win and a 3-2 series lead. Defenseman Brian Campbell tallied four assists and defenseman Dmitri Kalinin netted two goals as they led the ’06-’07 Sabres offensively.
The ’74-’75 Sabres opened up a 2-0 lead just 1:08 into Game 6 thanks to a goal each from Robert and Gare. However, a goal each from Thomas Vanek and Daniel Briere tied the game for the ’06-’07 Sabres by the end of the period. Robert scored 11 seconds into the second period to give the ’74-’75 Sabres a 3-2 lead and they held that going into the third period. Then, just 24 seconds into the third, Gilbert Perreault scored to give the top seed a 4-2 lead. Just five and a half minutes later, the ’06-’07 Sabres tied the game up 4-4. Then, at the 14:55 mark, Dainius Zubrus scored to give the ’06-’07 Sabres their first lead of the game at 5-4. However, just 12 seconds later Jim Lorentz retied the game up 5-5 for the top seed and regulation ended 5-5. Robert ended overtime a minute and a half into the period with a PP goal to complete his hat trick and force a Game 7. The ’74-’75 Sabres then stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the first period of Game 7. The ’06-’07 Sabres tried to chip away, but Bromley held his own in net by stopping 35 of 37 shots against. The top seed won Game 7, 4-2, with Perreault and defenseman Bill Hajt both tallying two assists to lead them offensively.
1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
’06-’07 Sabres | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 |
’74-’75 Sabres | 3 | 0 | 2 | — | 5 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’74-’75 BUF – 5 ’06-’07 BUF – 2 (1-0 ’74-’75 BUF)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: LW – Rick Dudley (’74-’75 BUF) – 1 G 2 A 3 P +3 5 S
2nd Star: RW – Danny Gare (’74-’75 BUF) – 2 G 0 A 2 P +1 3 S
3rd Star: G – Gary Bromley (’74-’75 BUF) – W 2.00 GAA .951 SV% (39 SV’s)
1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
’06-’07 Sabres | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 4 |
’74-’75 Sabres | 1 | 0 | 1 | — | 2 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’06-’07 BUF – 4 ’74-’75 BUF – 2 (1-1)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: RW – Maxim Afinogenov (’06-’07 BUF) – 1 G 1 A 2 P +2 3 S
2nd Star: RW – Rene Robert (’74-’75 BUF) – 2 G 0 A 2 P -2 6 S
3rd Star: G – Ryan Miller (’06-’07 BUF) – W 2.00 GAA .939 SV% (31 SV’s)
1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
’74-’75 Sabres | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 |
’06-’07 Sabres | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 3 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’06-’07 BUF – 3 ’74-’75 BUF – 2 (2-1 ’06-’07 BUF)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: G – Ryan Miller (’06-’07 BUF) – W 2.00 GAA .950 SV% (38 SV’s)
2nd Star: RW – Rene Robert (’74-’75 BUF) – 2 G 0 A 2 P -1 5 S 2 PIM
3rd Star: C – Daniel Briere (’06-’07 BUF) – 1 G 1 A 2 P +1 9 S 2 PIM
1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
’74-’75 Sabres | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 6 |
’06-’07 Sabres | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’74-’75 BUF – 6 ’06-’07 BUF – 3 (2-2)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: D – Jerry Korab (’74-’75 BUF) – 1 G 3 A 4 P +4 1 S 2 PIM
2nd Star: RW – Rene Robert (’74-’75 BUF) – 1 G 2 A 3 P +3 4 S 2 PIM
3rd Star: LW – Rick Martin (’74-’75 BUF) – 1 G 2 A 3 P +1 4 S 2 PIM
1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
’06-’07 Sabres | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 5 |
’74-’75 Sabres | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 4 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’06-’07 BUF – 5 ’74-’75 BUF – 4 (3-2 ’06-’07 BUF)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: D – Brian Campbell (’06-’07 BUF) – 0 G 4 A 4 P +1 3 S
2nd Star: RW – Rene Robert (’74-’75 BUF) – 2 G 2 A 4 P +1 3 S
3rd Star: D – Dmitri Kalinin (’06-’07 BUF) – 2 G 0 A 2 P +1 3 S
1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
’74-’75 Sabres | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
’06-’07 Sabres | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’74-’75 BUF – 6 ’06-’07 BUF – 5 (OT) (3-3)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: RW – Rene Robert (’74-’75 BUF) – 3 G 1 A 4 P Even 6 S
2nd Star: C – Gilbert Perreault (’74-’75 BUF) – 1 G 3 A 4 P +1 5 S
3rd Star: C – Daniel Briere (’06-’07 BUF) – 2 G 1 A 3 P -1 5 S 4 PIM
1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
’06-’07 Sabres | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 |
’74-’75 Sabres | 3 | 0 | 1 | — | 4 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’74-’75 BUF – 4 ’06-’07 BUF – 2 (4-3 ’74-’75 BUF)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: D – Bill Hajt (’74-’75 BUF) – 0 G 2 A 2 P +4 4 S
2nd Star: G – Gary Bromley (’74-’75 BUF) – W 2.00 GAA .946 SV% (35 SV’s)
3rd Star: C – Gilbert Perreault (’74-’75 BUF) – 0 G 2 A 2 P +1 2 S
Up next in the other Semifinal is a matchup between the 3rd-seeded ’79-’80 Sabres and the 7th-seeded ’75-’76 Sabres!