Sabres' Stylish Finish Brings Playoff Hockey Back to Buffalo

Ryan Miller, Jhonas Enroth, and Marc-Andre Gragnani celebrate
an overtime win, securing the Sabres a spot in the playoffs.
(Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

Ending their season in style going 8-1-1 in their final ten games, the Buffalo Sabres have secured the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2011 post-season.  "It was a good game, a good finish," Tyler Meyers said of the Sabres final regular season game in Columbus.  "Good way to end the year for us to get a win on the road going into the first round."  The Sabres finished off their season 28-11-6 since January 1st earning the most points in the Eastern Conference over that time.  Not too shabby after a shaky start to the season left many fans in doubt.

This weekend brought two more wins to have the Sabres end the regular season with 96 points and a 43-29-10 record.  Fan-appreciation night Friday was a completely all-around magical experience.  There were just so many moments from the second I arrived at the arena until I was at home in bed that night where I was so proud to be a Sabres fan.  On my way into the arena for work at 5:00pm, I could not believe how many people were already outside for the party in the plaza.  I can't wait to see it even more packed during the playoffs.  During the game, I was lucky enough to be serving section 223 and 224 which are directly in front of the owner's suite where all the alumni were housed.  Pegula had the glass removed so it was possible to see right inside and interact with the alumni.  It was great to be right there with the men who started hockey in Buffalo and see all their smiles throughout the game.  Even though I can't recognize most of their faces like my parents can and I didn't have the chance to see most of them play, I still have the utmost respect for those men.  During each intermission, there was a line of fans waiting for autographs and the alumni gladly signed rally towels, hats, and jerseys.  Kate wrote her thoughts on the experience nicely over at the Willful Caboose.  The infamous 50/50 pot topped $63,000 but unfortunately I didn't walk home with it.  Nathan Gerbe scored what could be the Sabres' goal of the year when he put the puck in the top corner of the net on a no-look backhand from the face-off circle that tied the game at three.  It was the only goal of the Sabres' four that I saw live because I happened to be looking at the ice instead of helping a customer at the time.  But man was glad to see that one.  I think my jaw dropped to the floor.  I looked somewhat like Marc-Andre Gragnani looks in the picture to the right.  The one part of the game that I will never forget for as long as I live was the final minute.  It's hard to describe the feeling in the arena when Tyler Myers skated in circles in the Buffalo end with the Flyers watching from their blue-line.  Simply put, it was a feeling of pure bliss.  The fans stood on their feet and cheered as the game would be heading into overtime and Buffalo would take their one needed point and clinch a seventh seeded post-season berth.  Thomas Vanek would make it two points when he scored just over a minute into overtime to give the Sabres the victory.  I loved how he stood at the glass sharing that instance of celebration with the fans in the front row; another memorable moment.  Highlights from both of the weekend's victories can be found here and here respectively.

The strong close to the season sets the Sabres up for a first round match-up with the Philadelphia Flyers.  The official post-season schedule will be released tonight following the conclusion of the Stars vs. Wild game.  It will be presented during NHL On The Fly's Playoff Match-Up Scheduling Show at 10:00pm EDT.  The Sabres first game will most likely be Thursday night because the 76ers have a home game in Philadelphia on Wednesday.  Tickets for the first round will go on sale tomorrow as announced on the Sabres' website.  When asked about their first round match-up, head coach Lindy Ruff said "We've got a heck of a test.  That's a good hockey club.  We know that if you go down that lineup, they're as dangerous as any team."  Buffalo's new enemy is the Flyers as described by Chris from the Goose's Roost.  So make sure you boycott anything orange that is unless you are at the Buffalo Bandit's game this coming Saturday.  On a completely unrelated but worthy note, is it really 77 degrees in Buffalo right now?  I can't believe I'm sitting next to a wide-open sliding glass door as I write this post.