1972–73 Buffalo Sabres season

The 1972–73 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' third season of operation in the National Hockey League. The team made it to the playoffs for the first time, but lost in the first round to Montreal, four games to two.

1972–73 Buffalo Sabres
Division4th East
1972–73 record37–27–14
Home record30–6–3
Road record7–21–11
Goals for257
Goals against219
Team information
General managerPunch Imlach
CoachJoe Crozier
CaptainGerry Meehan
ArenaBuffalo Memorial Auditorium
Average attendance15,632
Team leaders
GoalsRene Robert (40)
AssistsGilbert Perreault (60)
PointsGilbert Perreault (88)
Penalty minutesJim Schoenfeld (178)
WinsRoger Crozier (23)
Goals against averageDave Dryden (2.65)

Offseason

The Sabres added future Hall of Fame defenseman Tim Horton in the intra-league draft. In the Amateur Draft, the Sabres picked defenseman Jim Schoenfeld as their first-round pick, fifth over-all.

Regular season

Final standings
East Division[1]
GP W L T GF GA DIFF Pts
1Montreal Canadiens78521016329184+145120
2Boston Bruins7851225330235+95107
3New York Rangers7847238297208+89102
4Buffalo Sabres78372714257219+3888
5Detroit Red Wings78372912265243+2286
6Toronto Maple Leafs78274110247279−3264
7Vancouver Canucks7822479233339−10653
8New York Islanders7812606170347−17730

Schedule and results
Regular season results
No. R Date Score Opponent Record
1WOctober 8, 19725–3Atlanta Flames (1972–73)1–0–0
2WOctober 11, 19727–3Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)2–0–0
3TOctober 14, 19721–1@ Atlanta Flames (1972–73)2–0–1
4WOctober 15, 19723–2Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)3–0–1
5WOctober 19, 19726–0Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)4–0–1
6TOctober 21, 19721–1@ St. Louis Blues (1972–73)4–0–2
7WOctober 22, 19727–2Atlanta Flames (1972–73)5–0–2
8TOctober 25, 19722–2Boston Bruins (1972–73)5–0–3
9TOctober 28, 19723–3@ Montreal Canadiens (1972–73)5–0–4
10WOctober 29, 19722–1Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)6–0–4
11LNovember 1, 19721–7@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)6–1–4
12LNovember 4, 19723–5@ Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)6–2–4
13TNovember 5, 19721–1St. Louis Blues (1972–73)6–2–5
14TNovember 9, 19720–0California Golden Seals (1972–73)6–2–6
15LNovember 11, 19721–3@ Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)6–3–6
16WNovember 12, 19721–0Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)7–3–6
17TNovember 15, 19723–3@ Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)7–3–7
18LNovember 17, 19721–5@ California Golden Seals (1972–73)7–4–7
19LNovember 19, 19725–9@ Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)7–5–7
20LNovember 22, 19722–6@ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)7–6–7
21WNovember 23, 19725–3New York Rangers (1972–73)8–6–7
22WNovember 26, 19729–2New York Islanders (1972–73)9–6–7
23WNovember 28, 19727–2@ New York Islanders (1972–73)10–6–7
24LNovember 30, 19724–5@ Boston Bruins (1972–73)10–7–7
25LDecember 2, 19726–8@ Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)10–8–7
26WDecember 3, 19727–4Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)11–8–7
27WDecember 6, 19723–2@ New York Rangers (1972–73)12–8–7
28WDecember 7, 19726–1Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)13–8–7
29WDecember 10, 19724–2Montreal Canadiens (1972–73)14–8–7
30WDecember 13, 19727–3Boston Bruins (1972–73)15–8–7
31WDecember 16, 19724–3@ St. Louis Blues (1972–73)16–8–7
32WDecember 17, 19724–0Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)17–8–7
33WDecember 20, 19726–3Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)18–8–7
34LDecember 22, 19722–4@ California Golden Seals (1972–73)18–9–7
35LDecember 23, 19720–2@ Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)18–10–7
36WDecember 27, 19724–1@ New York Rangers (1972–73)19–10–7
37WDecember 28, 19728–2Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)20–10–7
38LDecember 31, 19722–4@ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)20–11–7
39WJanuary 3, 19734–1New York Islanders (1972–73)21–11–7
40LJanuary 4, 19732–4@ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)21–12–7
41WJanuary 6, 19734–1@ New York Rangers (1972–73)22–12–7
42WJanuary 7, 19732–0Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)23–12–7
43LJanuary 11, 19732–4New York Rangers (1972–73)23–13–7
44LJanuary 14, 19730–6@ Boston Bruins (1972–73)23–14–7
45WJanuary 18, 19735–1Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)24–14–7
46LJanuary 20, 19732–4@ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)24–15–7
47LJanuary 21, 19733–4Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)24–16–7
48WJanuary 25, 19735–2Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)25–16–7
49LJanuary 28, 19735–8Atlanta Flames (1972–73)25–17–7
50WFebruary 1, 19735–3Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)26–17–7
51TFebruary 3, 19731–1@ New York Islanders (1972–73)26–17–8
52WFebruary 4, 19735–1New York Islanders (1972–73)27–17–8
53LFebruary 7, 19731–2@ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)27–18–8
54WFebruary 8, 19734–0California Golden Seals (1972–73)28–18–8
55LFebruary 10, 19731–2@ Montreal Canadiens (1972–73)28–19–8
56LFebruary 11, 19732–5Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)28–20–8
57WFebruary 14, 19733–2@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)29–20–8
58WFebruary 15, 19734–1New York Rangers (1972–73)30–20–8
59TFebruary 17, 19733–3@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)30–20–9
60WFebruary 18, 19734–1Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)31–20–9
61WFebruary 22, 19733–1Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)32–20–9
62LFebruary 24, 19732–4@ Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)32–21–9
63WFebruary 25, 19732–1Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)33–21–9
64TMarch 1, 19734–4@ Atlanta Flames (1972–73)33–21–10
65LMarch 4, 19732–4Montreal Canadiens (1972–73)33–22–10
66TMarch 6, 19732–2@ Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)33–22–11
67TMarch 7, 19732–2@ California Golden Seals (1972–73)33–22–12
68LMarch 9, 19732–5@ Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)33–23–12
69LMarch 13, 19730–2@ St. Louis Blues (1972–73)33–24–12
70LMarch 15, 19731–4Boston Bruins (1972–73)33–25–12
71TMarch 17, 19733–3@ Montreal Canadiens (1972–73)33–25–13
72WMarch 18, 19735–1Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)34–25–13
73LMarch 21, 19732–6@ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)34–26–13
74TMarch 24, 19734–4@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)34–26–14
75LMarch 25, 19731–6@ Boston Bruins (1972–73)34–27–14
76WMarch 27, 19733–2@ New York Islanders (1972–73)35–27–14
77WMarch 28, 19736–3Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)36–27–14
78WApril 1, 19733–1St. Louis Blues (1972–73)37–27–14

Playoffs

The 1972–73 season saw the Sabres qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time. The team would ultimately lose to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Canadiens in 6 games. After falling behind three games to none the Sabres won two straight to earn a final home game that was memorable for the "Thank you Sabres" chant from the end of the game.[2]


1973 Stanley Cup Playoffs
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTMontreal goalsBuffalo goalsDecisionAttendanceSeriesRecap
1April 4Buffalo Sabres1–2Montreal Canadiens0–1
2April 5Buffalo Sabres3–7Montreal Canadiens0–2
3April 7Montreal Canadiens5–2Buffalo Sabres0–3
4April 8Montreal Canadiens1–5Buffalo Sabres1–3
5April 10Buffalo Sabres3–2Montreal Canadiens9:182–3
6April 12Montreal Canadiens4–2Buffalo Sabres2–4
  • Scorer of game-winning goal in italics
  • *Denotes if necessary

Player statistics
Regular season
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG
Gilbert PerreaultC782860881011807
Rene RobertRW754043838316906
Rick MartinLW753736737941104
Jim LorentzC/RW782735623061105
Gerry MeehanC77312960214316
Don LuceC78182543327032
Hugh HarrisC60122638179000
Larry HillmanD785242956−3200
Craig RamsayLW761117281513011
Larry MickeyRW771592447−6102
Mike RobitailleD6541721409000
Jim SchoenfeldD664151917812100
Steve AtkinsonRW61991836−5201
Tim HortonD69116175612000
Tracy PrattD74115161169000
Norm GrattonLW216511120201
Larry CarriereD40281052−1100
Paul TerbencheD4207787000
Randy WyrozubC453364−1002
Doug RomboughC520202000
Butch DeadmarshLW3411226−3100
Rick DudleyLW60117−2000
John GouldRW801100000
Ron BusniukRW100090000
Roger CrozierG4900040000
Dave DrydenG3700000000
Rocky FarrG100000000
Ray McKayD100000000
Bob RicherC300000000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO
Roger Crozier263349231371212.763
Dave Dryden20183714137892.653
Rocky Farr29101036.210
Team:4680783727142132.736
Playoffs
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG
Gilbert PerreaultC637102101
Rene RobertRW65382101
Rick MartinLW632512200
Jim SchoenfeldD62134000
Jim LorentzC/RW60332000
Don LuceC61122000
Craig RamsayLW61120000
Larry MickeyRW61015000
Larry CarriereD60118000
Roger CrozierG40112000
Norm GrattonLW60112000
Tim HortonD60114000
Gerry MeehanC60110000
Steve AtkinsonRW10000000
Dave DrydenG20000000
Hugh HarrisC30000000
Larry HillmanD60008000
Tracy PrattD60006000
Mike RobitailleD60000000
Paul TerbencheD60000000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L GA GAA SO
Roger Crozier249422112.650
Dave Dryden12020294.500
Team:369624203.250

[3]

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
      MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts;

Awards and records

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Gilbert Perreault

Transactions

Trades
Date
Details
June 6, 1972 To New York Islanders
7th-round pick in 1972 (Don McLaughlin)
8th-round pick in 1972 (Rene Levasseur)
9th-round pick in 1972 (Bill Ennos)
10th-round pick in 1972 (Rene Lambert)		 To Buffalo Sabres
Islanders promised to not draft certain players in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft
June 8, 1972 To Montreal Canadiens
Cash		 To Buffalo Sabres
Ron Busniuk
February 14, 1973 To Calgary Flames
Butch Deadmarsh		 To Buffalo Sabres
Norm Gratton

Lost via retirement
Player
Dick Duff
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