PASabreFan Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 The Sabres finished strong in their first season. They ended up tied with LA for the most points of any non playoff team. The sky appeared to be the limit after they raised the roof on the Aud after the season. Nowhere to go but up, right? Another 2-1 win over the Pens to start the season had to be a good omen... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 Notable additions to the team for the 1971-72 season included Rick Martin, Craig Ramsay, Jim Lorentz and Rene Robert; the first two were drafted by the Sabres the preceding summer (5th and 19th overall), while Lorentz came to the Sabres mid-season, from the New York Rangers, and Robert, late in the season, from Pittsburgh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpandean Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 Notable additions to the team for the 1971-72 season included Rick Martin, Craig Ramsay, and Jim Lorentz; the first two were drafted by the Sabres the preceding summer (5th and 19th overall), while Lorentz came to the Sabres mid-season, from the New York Rangers. The third member of the famed "French Connection" also came ... actually returned ... to the Sabres in the 1971-72 season. René Robert had been selected by the Sabres in the Inter-League Draft in June, but they did not protect his rights and he was claimed by Pittsburgh. After 49 games with the Pens, Robert was traded back to the Sabres, where he played just 12 games that season. Edit: beat your edit. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 The third member of the famed "French Connection" also came ... actually returned ... to the Sabres in the 1971-72 season. René Robert had been selected by the Sabres in the Inter-League Draft in June, but they did not protect his rights and he was claimed by Pittsburgh. After 49 games with the Pens, Robert was traded back to the Sabres, where he played just 12 games that season. Edit: beat your edit. :thumbsup: you DID beat my edit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mphs mike Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 The third member of the famed "French Connection" also came ... actually returned ... to the Sabres in the 1971-72 season. René Robert had been selected by the Sabres in the Inter-League Draft in June, but they did not protect his rights and he was claimed by Pittsburgh. After 49 games with the Pens, Robert was traded back to the Sabres, where he played just 12 games that season. Edit: beat your edit. :thumbsup: Sabres give up "Eddie the Entertainer" for Robert. Inthe offseason they also traded Joe Daley to the Red Wings in exchange for Don Luce and Mike Robitaille. Late in the season, Rick Martin breafs Bert's year old record for most goals by a rookie, ending the season with 44. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 Let's not forget this was RJ's first season. When the Aud closed he said he did his first game from "that little cubbyhole over center ice." Was he talking about the press box itself or the, uh, cubbyhole that was affixed to the face of the balcony? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 Couple loose ends to 71-72 before moving on. Punch Imlach had a heart attack in his Aud office in January. Joe Crozier took over behind the bench. The story goes that Imlach made a trade from the ICU unit, bringing Jim Lorentz to Buffalo. The Sabres won only 16 games that season, a big dropoff from the first year. But they ended on a very high note, beating the already-hated Flyers at the Aud. Philly needed just a point to make the playoffs, but they were crushed when Gerry Meehan scored to break a 2-2 tie with four seconds left! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 72-73 started with a 5-3 win at home over Atlanta on October 8, 1972. Maybe the start of a streak? (The league expanded again to 16 teams with addition of the Atlanta Flames and the New York Islanders. Of course the Flames got put in the West Division, while Vancouver stayed in the East.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbossy Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mphs mike Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 Perfect that the quote from from the Courier! Dec. 1972 may still be my favorite regular season game in the Aud. Rookie Jim Schoenfeld gets tossed after fighting Bobby Orr, Carol Vadnais, and Wayne Cashman - while busting open the zamboni entrance in the boards. Oh yeah, Sabres win big, 7-2 as I recall. A playoff highlight in the Spring. The Habs eliminate the Swordsmen at the Aud as chants of "Thank You Sabres" rain down from the fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 VERY cool! Do you have the whole paper? I want to read the article on Messy Rooms on page 14. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 VERY cool! Do you have the whole paper? I want to read the article on Messy Rooms on page 14. Western New York's Greatest Paper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 Perfect that the quote from from the Courier! Dec. 1972 may still be my favorite regular season game in the Aud. Rookie Jim Schoenfeld gets tossed after fighting Bobby Orr, Carol Vadnais, and Wayne Cashman - while busting open the zamboni entrance in the boards. Oh yeah, Sabres win big, 7-2 as I recall. A playoff highlight in the Spring. The Habs eliminate the Swordsmen at the Aud as chants of "Thank You Sabres" rain down from the fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 Western New York's Greatest Paper Still is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spndnchz Posted August 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 Despite his health, Punch Imlach stays on as GM. Brings in Tim Horton. (mmmm, donuts) Sabres make the playoffs but lose in six games to the Habs. Nice comeback after being down 3 games to none. But not enough. They finished the season 37-27-14. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spndnchz Posted August 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 Sabres start the 1973-1974 season with a 4-7 loss to Toronto on Oct 10, 1973. They would win 6 of their first nine games, but the season was known for Perreault having a broken leg missing 8 weeks; then goalie Roger Crozier for the season with pancreatitis. And then there was February 20, 1974... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mphs mike Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 Sabres start the 1973-1974 season with a 4-7 loss to Toronto on Oct 10, 1973. They would win 6 of their first nine games, but the season was known for Perreault having a broken leg missing 8 weeks; then goalie Roger Crozier for the season with pancreatitis. And then there was February 20, 1974... By late February 1974, I'm putting a tribute bulletin board to Tim Horton up at Blessed Sacrament School. Throughout the season the front office was active, picking up pieces of the beloved "70's Sabres" including Jerry "King Kong" Korab, Brian "Spinner" Spencer, and Jocelyn Guevremont. After a taste of the playoffs last season, the Sabres will miss them again. Hopefully next season will be different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spndnchz Posted August 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 Sabres had a 21 game home unbeaten streak in 1972-73. They weren't beaten at home until January 11, 1973 by the NY Rangers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R_Dudley Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 Wow cool a little late to this thread just got back from a mini weekend vaca with family. Okay hope I didn't kill too many brain cells over the years. This is right around the time I became a young fan of hockey. First set of skates and a used hockey stick allowed me to join the neighborhood pond hockey games at the park across the street. Had been familar with the hockey team being there and an occasional game on tv and radio but really cemented my like for the team and love for the game when with the neighborhood boys we start mimicking some of players out on the pond ice during the dregs of winter..... Gil breaks a leg and is laid up for extended period, team is having a down season however 1/3 of the french connection steps up and has his first 50 goal season Rick Martin(52) is the new hot player to mimick on the pond ice, besides he has a cool mustache... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbossy Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 This was the year I had to go to 'speech' class at school. Couldn't say my 'r' s correctly. Anyway, the teacher was hot and every class I went to I could pick a prize. Everytime I picked a 5 by 7 picture of Schony. Until they were all gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mphs mike Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 This was the year I had to go to 'speech' class at school. Couldn't say my 'r' s correctly. Anyway, the teacher was hot and every class I went to I could pick a prize. Everytime I picked a 5 by 7 picture of Schony. Until they were all gone. Now those were prizes worth getting. I still remember going to a mall to get his autograph, back when it was free. Somewhere in the attic is a copy of the lp he released! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 Now those were prizes worth getting. I still remember going to a mall to get his autograph, back when it was free. Somewhere in the attic is a copy of the lp he released! http://www.sabresalumni.com/media/jukebox.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 R_dudly, this was also the year Rick arrived in Buffalo. Another weird acquisition was Brian Spencer from the Islanders. It was Spencer who crashed into Perreault when Bert broke his leg. Apparently, Mike Robitaille was involved in the collision too. By the way, folks should try to get their hands on Budd Bailey's book "Celebrate the Tradition: The History of the Buffalo Sabres." It was put out by the team in 1990 on the Sabres' 20th anniversary. Season by season in great detail. I've emailed Budd a few times, and the last I heard several years ago, he had hopes that there might be a 40th anniversary update. Budd is a class act. Good guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampD Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 http://www.sabresalumni.com/media/jukebox.php ...and people get on Stafford... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spndnchz Posted August 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 1973 Amateur draft - Sabres draft Morris Titanic out of Sudbury, in the first round, 12th pick. December 31, 1973 Former Sabres' broadcaster Jim Lorentz has a hat trick in a 6-5 Buffalo win in Detroit. (props to PA) and so closes the 1973-74 season. Someone else needs to start the 1974-75 season. I feel like I'm talking to myself. What? Yeah. Me2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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