October 10, 1970

[Bob Lamb]

#OTD October 10, 1970 – The Buffalo Sabres first home game.

The first game was versus the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Jim Watson scored the Sabres first goal (one of four in his career). Wally Boyer scored for the Penguins. Rookie sensation Gilbert Perrault scored the game winner 2-1.

Gerry Meehan was recipient of the first penalty. A major brawl in the third period between Brian McDonald and Bryan Hextall was the highlight of the game.

The new Buffalo Sabres franchise of the National Hockey League ended the 1970-71 season with a record of 24 wins and 39 losses and 15 ties for 63 points, finishing fifth in the NHL's East Division.

The Sabres season total netted 217 goals and allowed 291. Gilbert Perreault scored 38 goals for Buffalo, and Phil Goyette contributed 46 assists. Joe Daley topped the squad with 12 wins, while Roger Crozier recorded 3.69 goals against average, leading regularly-used goaltenders.

Punch Imlach coached the team.

Joe Daley was the Sabers’ first choice in the 1970 Intra-League Draft. He was also one of the last NHL goalies to play without a mask, although he did later wear a mask for Winnipeg in the WHA. Even though Punch Imlach traded for Roger Crozier and he would be a great goalie – he suffered from pancreatitis that limited his availability

[Quint]

On a bit of a different note, I was watching 40 Stories, a two hour interview with different Sabres from the early years.

I've gotten through a few segments so far but one story really moved me. At 10:35 Rip Simonick tells about how Perreault used to win all the time with the Montreal Junior Canadiens, so much so that winning was ingrained in him. When he came to Buffalo, it was a pretty raggedy team in the first year or so. They were losing. After the first 10-15 games, Perreault as a rookie, would just sit on the bench and bawl his eyes out. He cried...and hated losing that much. I didn't have a clue.

The first sixteen years the Sabres were all Perreault. He was their best player even in his final year. I wonder if Perreault's bitterness from losing lingered on with the Sabres organization, as they did not treat him with respect by giving him an important position with the club after retirement. But I guess we'll never know the real story. 

I also think about the historic amount of losing the Sabres have done with Pegula at the helm and how it must have eaten away at the players. Now I more clearly understand O'Reilly and Eichel's meltdowns. Different personalities react different ways to uninterrupted hopeless losing.

 

 

Edited October 13, 2023 by Quint

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Welcome !!

Awesome first post.

[Marvin]

On 10/9/2023 at 4:57 PM, Bob Lamb said:

#OTD October 10, 1970 – The Buffalo Sabres first home game.

The first game was versus the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Jim Watson scored the Sabres first goal (one of four in his career). Wally Boyer scored for the Penguins. Rookie sensation Gilbert Perrault scored the game winner 2-1.

Gerry Meehan was recipient of the first penalty. A major brawl in the third period between Brian McDonald and Bryan Hextall was the highlight of the game.

The new Buffalo Sabres franchise of the National Hockey League ended the 1970-71 season with a record of 24 wins and 39 losses and 15 ties for 63 points, finishing fifth in the NHL's East Division.

The Sabres season total netted 217 goals and allowed 291. Gilbert Perreault scored 38 goals for Buffalo, and Phil Goyette contributed 46 assists. Joe Daley topped the squad with 12 wins, while Roger Crozier recorded 3.69 goals against average, leading regularly-used goaltenders.

Punch Imlach coached the team.

Joe Daley was the Sabers’ first choice in the 1970 Intra-League Draft. He was also one of the last NHL goalies to play without a mask, although he did later wear a mask for Winnipeg in the WHA. Even though Punch Imlach traded for Roger Crozier and he would be a great goalie – he suffered from pancreatitis that limited his availability

Welcome to the board!

[Scottysabres]

I was born exactly 1 month later 😀

[PASabreFan]

Bob Lamb is a name blast from the past! You have a daughter who also wrote about the Sabres, no?

[Shoot da Puck]

I was there....great night. BUFFALO WAS PUMPED

[Marvin]

On 10/15/2023 at 9:28 AM, PASabreFan said:

Bob Lamb is a name blast from the past! You have a daughter who also wrote about the Sabres, no?

Do tell.  My memory is failing me on the name.

[PASabreFan]

10 hours ago, Marvin said:

Do tell.  My memory is failing me on the name.

Well Bob either had his own early Internet Sabres site or wrote for The Sabres Edge. His daughter Becky also wrote for the site. I believe she was in HS or college. @Bob Lamb?