2005 Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres came within a few points of a playoff spot last season, and the Sabres are optimistic that 2005-06 will bring them into the post-season. With high-scoring Daniel Briere back, as well as Miroslav Satan and Chris Drury, head coach Lindy Ruff is ready for another run at the Stanley Cup. This will be a good year to have tickets to a Sabres game.

The Buffalo Sabres were part of an NHL expansion for the 1970-71 season. By 1974-75, the team had the best record in the NHL and went to the Stanley Cup finals, where they lost to Philadelphia. This series included the famous Fog Game, played in a Buffalo heat wave that produced fog over the ice and made the game virtually invisible to the fans.

The Sabres returned to the Stanley Cup finals in 1999, losing to Dallas in six games on a disputed goal by Brett Hull in triple overtime. Since then, the Sabres have returned to the playoffs, and look to do so again in 2005-06. Getting tickets now should be your top priority if you are a Sabres fan.

Playing in the HSBC Arena in downtown Buffalo, the Sabres look to build on more than 30 years of successful hockey. Buffalo is the top sports city in western New York. The Buffalo Bisons (Dunn Tire Park), a minor league baseball team that traditionally draws a million fans (and outdraws certain Major League teams), is an outstanding summer attraction. For many Buffalo fans, however, it isn't until the fall, when the Sabres and the Bills (at Ralph Wilson Stadium) begin to play, that sports return to western New York.