# 1977–78 Buffalo Sabres season

The 1977–78 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' eighth season of operation for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on May 22, 1970.

## Regular season
### Final standings

Adams Division :
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| Boston Bruins | 80 | 51 | 18 | 11 | 333 | 218 | 113 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 80 | 44 | 19 | 17 | 288 | 215 | 105 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 80 | 41 | 29 | 10 | 271 | 237 | 92 |
| Cleveland Barons | 80 | 22 | 45 | 13 | 230 | 325 | 57 |
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

### Record vs. opponents

Adams Division record vs. opponents :
Vs. Wales Conference
Vs. Campbell Conference
Vs. Adams Division
1977–78 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
CLE
TOR
Total
Boston
—2–43–1–25–0–110–5–3
Buffalo
4–2—4–22–3–110–7–1
Cleveland
1–3–22–4—2–45–13–2
Toronto
0–5–13–2–14–2—7–9–2
Vs. Norris Division
1977–78 NHL records
Team
DET
LAK
MTL
PIT
WSH
Total
Boston
4–0–15–00–4–15–04–0–118–4–3
Buffalo
2–2–13–0–23–20–0–53–1–111–5–9
Cleveland
2–2–11–3–11–40–52–36–17–2
Toronto
2–1–22–30–4–12–34–0–110–11–4
Vs. Patrick Division
1977–78 NHL records
Team
ATL
NYI
NYR
PHI
Total
Boston
2–1–11–34–11–2–18–7–2
Buffalo
2–1–13–22–1–13–0–110–4–3
Cleveland
1–2–11–1–21–30–4–13–10–4
Toronto
2–31–33–13–19–8–0
Vs. Smythe Division
1977–78 NHL records
Team
CHI
COL
MIN
STL
VAN
Total
Boston
3–13–0–13–14–02–0–215–2–3
Buffalo
2–1–13–13–14–01–0–313–3–4
Cleveland
1–31–1–23–0–11–2–12–1–18–7–5
Toronto
2–1–14–04–02–0–23–0–115–1–4 :

## Schedule and results

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | W | October 13, 1977 | 3–2 | New York Islanders (1977–78) | 1–0–0 |
| 2 | W | October 15, 1977 | 5–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) | 2–0–0 |
| 3 | L | October 16, 1977 | 0–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1977–78) | 2–1–0 |
| 4 | T | October 19, 1977 | 2–2 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1977–78) | 2–1–1 |
| 5 | W | October 20, 1977 | 7–5 | Colorado Rockies (1977–78) | 3–1–1 |
| 6 | W | October 23, 1977 | 4–1 | Minnesota North Stars (1977–78) | 4–1–1 |
| 7 | L | October 29, 1977 | 2–4 | @ New York Islanders (1977–78) | 4–2–1 |
| 8 | W | October 30, 1977 | 4–0 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) | 5–2–1 |
| 9 | W | November 3, 1977 | 4–1 | @ Boston Bruins (1977–78) | 6–2–1 |
| 10 | W | November 5, 1977 | 3–1 | @ St. Louis Blues (1977–78) | 7–2–1 |
| 11 | W | November 6, 1977 | 7–4 | St. Louis Blues (1977–78) | 8–2–1 |
| 12 | L | November 9, 1977 | 4–8 | @ New York Rangers (1977–78) | 8–3–1 |
| 13 | W | November 10, 1977 | 3–2 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1977–78) | 9–3–1 |
| 14 | T | November 13, 1977 | 3–3 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) | 9–3–2 |
| 15 | W | November 16, 1977 | 6–2 | @ Atlanta Flames (1977–78) | 10–3–2 |
| 16 | L | November 17, 1977 | 1–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) | 10–4–2 |
| 17 | W | November 19, 1977 | 7–6 | @ Washington Capitals (1977–78) | 11–4–2 |
| 18 | W | November 20, 1977 | 5–2 | Washington Capitals (1977–78) | 12–4–2 |
| 19 | L | November 23, 1977 | 0–2 | Boston Bruins (1977–78) | 12–5–2 |
| 20 | L | November 24, 1977 | 1–4 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) | 12–6–2 |
| 21 | W | November 27, 1977 | 3–2 | New York Rangers (1977–78) | 13–6–2 |
| 22 | W | November 30, 1977 | 3–2 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1977–78) | 14–6–2 |
| 23 | W | December 1, 1977 | 3–1 | Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) | 15–6–2 |
| 24 | T | December 3, 1977 | 4–4 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) | 15–6–3 |
| 25 | W | December 4, 1977 | 6–1 | Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) | 16–6–3 |
| 26 | W | December 8, 1977 | 5–2 | Cleveland Barons (1977–78) | 17–6–3 |
| 27 | W | December 10, 1977 | 4–2 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1977–78) | 18–6–3 |
| 28 | W | December 11, 1977 | 3–0 | Vancouver Canucks (1977–78) | 19–6–3 |
| 29 | L | December 13, 1977 | 1–4 | @ Colorado Rockies (1977–78) | 19–7–3 |
| 30 | W | December 15, 1977 | 7–3 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1977–78) | 20–7–3 |
| 31 | T | December 17, 1977 | 5–5 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1977–78) | 20–7–4 |
| 32 | W | December 21, 1977 | 5–3 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) | 21–7–4 |
| 33 | T | December 22, 1977 | 3–3 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) | 21–7–5 |
| 34 | T | December 29, 1977 | 3–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) | 21–7–6 |
| 35 | T | December 31, 1977 | 2–2 | @ New York Rangers (1977–78) | 21–7–7 |
| 36 | T | January 1, 1978 | 2–2 | Atlanta Flames (1977–78) | 21–7–8 |
| 37 | W | January 5, 1978 | 5–3 | Colorado Rockies (1977–78) | 22–7–8 |
| 38 | T | January 7, 1978 | 4–4 | @ Washington Capitals (1977–78) | 22–7–9 |
| 39 | W | January 8, 1978 | 5–3 | Boston Bruins (1977–78) | 23–7–9 |
| 40 | T | January 11, 1978 | 3–3 | Los Angeles Kings (1977–78) | 23–7–10 |
| 41 | L | January 12, 1978 | 3–6 | @ Cleveland Barons (1977–78) | 23–8–10 |
| 42 | L | January 14, 1978 | 2–6 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) | 23–9–10 |
| 43 | W | January 19, 1978 | 9–2 | Cleveland Barons (1977–78) | 24–9–10 |
| 44 | W | January 21, 1978 | 3–1 | @ St. Louis Blues (1977–78) | 25–9–10 |
| 45 | T | January 22, 1978 | 2–2 | Vancouver Canucks (1977–78) | 25–9–11 |
| 46 | L | January 26, 1978 | 1–2 | Minnesota North Stars (1977–78) | 25–10–11 |
| 47 | T | January 28, 1978 | 3–3 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) | 25–10–12 |
| 48 | W | January 30, 1978 | 3–2 | New York Islanders (1977–78) | 26–10–12 |
| 49 | T | February 1, 1978 | 2–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) | 26–10–13 |
| 50 | W | February 2, 1978 | 3–1 | Boston Bruins (1977–78) | 27–10–13 |
| 51 | W | February 4, 1978 | 4–2 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1977–78) | 28–10–13 |
| 52 | W | February 5, 1978 | 4–1 | Washington Capitals (1977–78) | 29–10–13 |
| 53 | W | February 8, 1978 | 5–2 | @ Cleveland Barons (1977–78) | 30–10–13 |
| 54 | W | February 9, 1978 | 2–0 | New York Rangers (1977–78) | 31–10–13 |
| 55 | L | February 13, 1978 | 2–4 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) | 31–11–13 |
| 56 | W | February 16, 1978 | 5–0 | Los Angeles Kings (1977–78) | 32–11–13 |
| 57 | W | February 19, 1978 | 6–2 | St. Louis Blues (1977–78) | 33–11–13 |
| 58 | L | February 20, 1978 | 2–4 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) | 33–12–13 |
| 59 | W | February 23, 1978 | 4–0 | Philadelphia Flyers (1977–78) | 34–12–13 |
| 60 | W | February 25, 1978 | 13–3 | @ Cleveland Barons (1977–78) | 35–12–13 |
| 61 | T | February 26, 1978 | 4–4 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) | 35–12–14 |
| 62 | W | March 1, 1978 | 4–3 | @ Atlanta Flames (1977–78) | 36–12–14 |
| 63 | W | March 2, 1978 | 6–3 | New York Islanders (1977–78) | 37–12–14 |
| 64 | L | March 4, 1978 | 3–7 | @ Boston Bruins (1977–78) | 37–13–14 |
| 65 | W | March 6, 1978 | 2–1 | Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) | 38–13–14 |
| 66 | T | March 9, 1978 | 3–3 | Los Angeles Kings (1977–78) | 38–13–15 |
| 67 | L | March 11, 1978 | 2–4 | @ New York Islanders (1977–78) | 38–14–15 |
| 68 | W | March 12, 1978 | 5–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1977–78) | 39–14–15 |
| 69 | W | March 16, 1978 | 3–1 | Philadelphia Flyers (1977–78) | 40–14–15 |
| 70 | T | March 18, 1978 | 2–2 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1977–78) | 40–14–16 |
| 71 | W | March 21, 1978 | 6–2 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1977–78) | 41–14–16 |
| 72 | T | March 24, 1978 | 2–2 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1977–78) | 41–14–17 |
| 73 | W | March 25, 1978 | 4–3 | @ Colorado Rockies (1977–78) | 42–14–17 |
| 74 | L | March 28, 1978 | 0–7 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) | 42–15–17 |
| 75 | L | March 30, 1978 | 3–5 | Cleveland Barons (1977–78) | 42–16–17 |
| 76 | L | April 1, 1978 | 2–3 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) | 42–17–17 |
| 77 | L | April 2, 1978 | 2–4 | Atlanta Flames (1977–78) | 42–18–17 |
| 78 | L | April 4, 1978 | 3–4 | @ Washington Capitals (1977–78) | 42–19–17 |
| 79 | W | April 6, 1978 | 5–2 | @ Boston Bruins (1977–78) | 43–19–17 |
| 80 | W | April 9, 1978 | 2–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) | 44–19–17 |

## Playoffs
### Preliminary round vs. New York Rangers

* Buffalo won series 2–1

### Quarterfinals vs. Philadelphia Flyers

* Philadelphia won series 4–1

## Draft picks

Buffalo's draft picks at the 1977 NHL amateur draft held at the Mount Royal Hotel in Montreal.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 1 | 14 | Ric Seiling | Canada | St. Catharines Fincups (OHA) |
| 2 | 32 | Ron Areshenkoff | Canada | Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL) |
| 4 | 68 | Bill Stewart | Canada | Niagara Falls Flyers (OMJHL) |
| 5 | 86 | Rich Sirois | Canada | Laval National (QMJHL) |
| 6 | 104 | Wayne Ramsey | Canada | Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL) |