Bruins Have Largely Dominated, But Buffalo and Boston Playoff History Still Intense
A once-frequent postseason matchup, including seven times in the 1980s and 1990s, returns following a long hiatus as the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres meet in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the just the second time this century and the first time since Boston prevailed in the first round in 2010.
Let's just say that there's no love between these rivals, and the intensity should especially ramped up in Buffalo, where the Sabres haven't played a postseason game since 2011.
1982 First Round
Bruins Defeat Sabres 3-1
In the first playoff series between the two franchises, the Bruins raced out to a dominant start in the best-of-five, taking games one and two at the Boston Garden, including a seven-goal output led by Rick Middleton and Barry Pederson in game two. The Sabres prevented the sweep with a victory at home, with goals from five different Sabres. A pair of second period goals by Terry O’Reilly secured the series as the Bruins took game four 5-2 and the series 3-1.
Year, Location, Date Winner, Score
Game 1 at Boston 4/7/82 Boston 3-1
Game 2 at Boston 4/8/82 Boston 7-3
Game 3 at Buffalo 4/10/82 Buffalo 5-2
Game 4 at Buffalo 4/11/82 Boston 5-2
1983 First Round
Game Seven Overtime Goal Sends Bruins Past Savers
Through the first three games, the teams alternated wins as Buffalo took game one on the back of seven goals before the Bruins took home game two. The Sabres would jump ahead as the series shifted back to Buffalo, with Mike Ramsey scoring the game winner with three minutes remaining.
In game four and five, the Bruin offense broke out to swing momentum back in Boston’s favor. Rick Middleton, who set an NHL record with 19 points in the series, led the charge in game four with a pair of goals as the Bruins leveled the series with a 6-2 victory. The Bruins dominated from the opening puck drop of game five, scoring five goals in the first period en route to a 9-0 victory.
After Mike Krushelnyski scored an equalizer with under nine minutes remaining in the third period of game six, Lindy Ruff put Buffalo ahead for good to set up a game seven at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. Early in the deciding game, it appeared Ric Seiling would be the hero as he scored the game’s first two goals to put the Sabres in the driver's seat. From there, Pete Peeters did not surrender another goal the rest of the way as second period goals by Barry Pederson and Brad Park leveled the score. After a scoreless third period, the game went to overtime to settle the series where Brad Park put home his own rebound to send the Bruins to the Prince of Wales Conference final.
Year, Location, Date Winner, Score
Game 1 at Boston 4/14/83 Buffalo 7-4
Game 2 at Boston 4/15/83 Boston 5-3
Game 3 at Buffalo 4/17/83 Buffalo 4-3
Game 4 at Buffalo 4/18/83 Boston 6-2
Game 5 at Boston 4/20/83 Boston 9-0
Game 6 at Buffalo 4/22/83 Buffalo 5-3
Game 7 at Boston 4/24/83 Boston 3-2 (OT)
1988 First Round
Bruins Respond to Win in Six Games
Seven different Bruins scored at home to open the series with a 7-3 victory, not allowing an even strength goal the entire game. Réjean Lemelin stopped all but one of the Sabres’ 26 shots in game two, as four more Bruins, 11 total over the first two games, found the back of the net.
With a home crowd behind them, Buffalo bounced back with six goals in both game three and four to even the series. John Tucker came through in both games for Buffalo, first scoring a hattrick in a 6-2 game three victory and then putting home the overtime winner next night.
The Bruins continued the trend of home teams coming away victorious, as they turned the series around at the Boston Garden as Ken Linseman, Tom McCarthy, and Rick Middleton each scored in the third period as Boston prevailed 5-4. The Bruins would be the first road team to steal a game, scoring three first period goals before Linseman added a pair of insurance goals on the way to a 5-2 win and series victory.
Year, Location, Date Winner, Score
Game 1 at Boston 4/6/88 Boston 7-3
Game 2 at Boston 4/7/88 Boston 4-1
Game 3 at Buffalo 4/9/88 Buffalo 6-2
Game 4 at Buffalo 4/10/88 Buffalo 6-5 (OT)
Game 5 at Boston 4/12/88 Boston 5-4
Game 6 at Buffalo 4/14/88 Boston 5-2
1989 First Round
Boston Ends Buffalo’s Season for Fourth Time in the Decade
After game one, fans departed Boston Garden stunned as the Buffalo Sabres opened the series with a 6-0 thrashing of the home team, with all six coming in special teams situations. The Bruins responded the next night, with Cam Neely putting the first of the team’s five past Clint Malarchuk in a 5-3 win. Boston rode the momentum into Buffalo, taking both games on the road as Neely added three more goals in 4-2 and 3-2 victories. A three-goal middle frame would secure game five and the series for the Bruins.
Year, Location, Date Winner, Score
Game 1 at Boston 4/5/89 Buffalo 6-0
Game 2 at Boston 4/6/89 Boston 5-3
Game 3 at Buffalo 4/8/89 Boston 4-2
Game 4 at Buffalo 4/9/89 Boston 3-2
Game 5 at Boston 4/11/89 Boston 4-1
1992 First Round
Bruins hold off Sabres Comeback Efforts to Win in Seven
Through the first four games, Boston twice used overtime to squeak by Buffalo, with Adam Oates winning game two and Ted Donato winning game four, to take a 3-1 advantage in the series. From there, Buffalo refused to go away quietly, first shutting out the Bruins in game five as Tom Draper stopped all 28 shots he faced. In game six, the Sabres offense exploded for nine goals, including four power play goals, from nine different skaters in a 9-3 route to force a decisive game seven.
Game seven, much like the series, turned into a back-and-forth battle between the two teams. Glen Murray opened the scoring for the Bruins in the closing minutes of the first period before Pat LaFontaine equalized with a shorthanded goal early in the second. After the remainder of the second period ended scoreless, both squads got back on the board early in the third period. Stephen Leach reestablished what would ultimately be a short-lived Bruins lead before Dale Hawerchuk leveled the contest less than two minutes later. Midway through the period, Dave Reid beat Tom Draper for the game and series decider to send the Bruins to the second round.
Year, Location, Date Winner, Score
Game 1 at Boston 4/19/92 Buffalo 3-2
Game 2 at Boston 4/21/92 Boston 3-2 (OT)
Game 3 at Buffalo 4/23/92 Boston 3-2
Game 4 at Buffalo 4/25/92 Boston 5-4 (OT)
Game 5 at Boston 4/27/92 Buffalo 2-0
Game 6 at Buffalo 4/29/92 Buffalo 9-3
Game 7 at Boston 5/1/92 Boston 3-2
1993 First Round
Sabres Get Revenge in a Sweep
After being eliminated by the Bruins five times in just over a decade, the Sabres finally managed to break through with a four-game sweep. Despite the seemingly lopsided result, the series was competitive with three of the four games needing overtime to decide. Bob Sweeney was the game one hero before Yuri Khmylev and Brad May followed his lead to win game three and four to seal the series.
Year, Location, Date Winner, Score
Game 1 at Boston 4/18/93 Buffalo 5-4 (OT)
Game 2 at Boston 4/20/93 Buffalo 4-0
Game 3 at Buffalo 4/22/93 Buffalo 4-3 (OT)
Game 4 at Buffalo 4/24/93 Buffalo 6-5 (OT)
1999 Conference Semifinals
Sabres Win Second Straight Series Against Bruins
After the Bruins took game one at the Fleet Center, the Sabres stormed back to take the next three to take a 3-1 advantage in the series. Over the three consecutive victories, Dominik Hašek stopped 71 of 74 shots he faced, including all 24 in a game four shutout. Five goals from five different Bruins chased Hašek in game five to starve off elimination at home before three straight Sabres goals in game six put away the Bruins for good.
Year, Location, Date Winner, Score
Game 1 at Boston 5/6/99 Boston 4-2
Game 2 at Boston 5/9/99 Buffalo 3-1
Game 3 at Buffalo 5/12/99 Buffalo 3-2
Game 4 at Buffalo 5/14/99 Buffalo 3-0
Game 5 at Boston 5/16/99 Boston 5-3
Game 6 at Buffalo 5/18/99 Buffalo 3-2
2010 First Round
Double OT Thriller Gives Bruins Control and Eventually Series
After the Sabres took game one in Buffalo as Ryan Miller stopped 38 of 39 shots, the Bruins responded by taking game two at HSBC Arena on the back of a pair of goals from both Michael Ryder and Zdeno Chára. Similar to game one in Buffalo, the first game in Boston settled into a battle of the two goalies, with Tuukka Rask stopping all but one of Buffalo’s 33 shots to help Boston prevail 2-1 and take the same advantage in the series.
Game four would prove to be the best of the series, with Buffalo looking to even the series before it shifted back to New York state. Tim Kennedy would get the Sabres on the board just over two minutes into the first period before Steve Montador doubled the advantage in the second period to give the Sabres a commanding 2-0 lead heading to the final frame. The Bruins battled back in the third, with David Krejci cutting the deficit to one with a powerplay goal before Patrice Bergeron equalized four minutes later. It would be over forty minutes of game time until the next goal was scored, with Miroslav Šatan, a 14-year NHL veteran in his final season, putting home the double-overtime winner for the Bruins against a franchise he spent the majority of his career with.
The Sabres took game five to extend the series, with Ryan Miller blanking the Bruins until a consolation goal by Johnny Boychuk put Boston on the board with 30 seconds remaining. Back in Boston for game six, the Bruins jumped out in front with a first period goal by David Krejci and a powerplay goal by Mark Recchi a minute into the second. The Sabres fought back throughout but were never able to pull level before falling 4-3, giving the series to Boston in six games.
Year, Location, Date Winner, Score
Game 1 at Buffalo 4/15/10 Buffalo 2-1
Game 2 at Buffalo 4/17/10 Boston 5-3
Game 3 at Boston 4/19/10 Boston 2-1
Game 4 at Boston 4/21/10 Boston 3-2
Game 5 at Buffalo 4/23/10 Buffalo 4-1
Game 6 at Boston 4/26/10 Boston 4-3
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