# 1976–77 Buffalo Sabres season

The 1976–77 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' seventh season in the National Hockey League (NHL).

## Regular season
### Final standings

Adams Division :
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| Boston Bruins | 80 | 49 | 23 | 8 | 312 | 240 | 106 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 80 | 48 | 24 | 8 | 301 | 220 | 104 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 80 | 33 | 32 | 15 | 301 | 285 | 81 |
| Cleveland Barons | 80 | 25 | 42 | 13 | 240 | 292 | 63 |
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
1976–77 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
CLE
TOR
Total
Boston
—3–35–13–2–111–6–1
Buffalo
3–3—5–15–0–113–4–1
Cleveland
1–51–5—2–44–14–0
Toronto
2–3–10–5–14–2—6–10–1
Vs. Norris Division
1976–77 NHL records
Team
DET
LAK
MTL
PIT
WSH
Total
Boston
4–12–2–13–23–1–14–0–116–6–3
Buffalo
4–13–22–2–10–4–14–113–10–2
Cleveland
2–31–2–20–50–3–25–08–13–4
Toronto
3–1–12–1–21–2–21–2–22–39–9–7
Vs. Patrick Division
1976–77 NHL records
Team
ATL
NYI
NYR
PHI
Total
Boston
2–21–2–14–0–11–38–7–2
Buffalo
2–1–11–3–14–02–29–6–2
Cleveland
2–1–10–3–10–3–11–3–13–10–4
Toronto
4–12–1–11–2–11–2–18–6–3
Vs. Smythe Division
1976–77 NHL records
Team
CHI
COL
MIN
STL
VAN
Total
Boston
4–03–11–2–12–1–14–014–4–2
Buffalo
3–13–0–12–1–12–23–0–113–4–3
Cleveland
3–12–1–11–1–22–1–12–1–110–5–5
Toronto
1–2–12–1–13–12–22–1–110–7–3 :

## Schedule and results

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | L | October 9, 1976 | 0–4 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) | 0–1–0 |
| 2 | W | October 10, 1976 | 3–1 | Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) | 1–1–0 |
| 3 | L | October 13, 1976 | 3–4 | New York Islanders (1976–77) | 1–2–0 |
| 4 | W | October 16, 1976 | 2–1 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1976–77) | 2–2–0 |
| 5 | L | October 17, 1976 | 5–6 | Atlanta Flames (1976–77) | 2–3–0 |
| 6 | W | October 20, 1976 | 4–0 | Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) | 3–3–0 |
| 7 | L | October 23, 1976 | 2–3 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1976–77) | 3–4–0 |
| 8 | W | October 24, 1976 | 2–1 | Washington Capitals (1976–77) | 4–4–0 |
| 9 | T | October 27, 1976 | 4–4 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) | 4–4–1 |
| 10 | W | October 31, 1976 | 4–1 | Boston Bruins (1976–77) | 5–4–1 |
| 11 | L | November 1, 1976 | 2–3 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) | 5–5–1 |
| 12 | W | November 5, 1976 | 3–2 | @ Washington Capitals (1976–77) | 6–5–1 |
| 13 | W | November 7, 1976 | 5–3 | Philadelphia Flyers (1976–77) | 7–5–1 |
| 14 | W | November 10, 1976 | 5–0 | St. Louis Blues (1976–77) | 8–5–1 |
| 15 | W | November 13, 1976 | 6–2 | @ New York Rangers (1976–77) | 9–5–1 |
| 16 | T | November 14, 1976 | 4–4 | Minnesota North Stars (1976–77) | 9–5–2 |
| 17 | W | November 17, 1976 | 3–2 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) | 10–5–2 |
| 18 | W | November 20, 1976 | 4–3 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) | 11–5–2 |
| 19 | T | November 24, 1976 | 4–4 | Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) | 11–5–3 |
| 20 | L | November 27, 1976 | 2–3 | @ St. Louis Blues (1976–77) | 11–6–3 |
| 21 | W | November 28, 1976 | 3–1 | Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) | 12–6–3 |
| 22 | W | November 30, 1976 | 6–2 | @ Boston Bruins (1976–77) | 13–6–3 |
| 23 | L | December 4, 1976 | 0–3 | @ New York Islanders (1976–77) | 13–7–3 |
| 24 | W | December 5, 1976 | 5–3 | Colorado Rockies (1976–77) | 14–7–3 |
| 25 | W | December 8, 1976 | 5–1 | @ Cleveland Barons (1976–77) | 15–7–3 |
| 26 | L | December 9, 1976 | 1–2 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) | 15–8–3 |
| 27 | W | December 11, 1976 | 4–2 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) | 16–8–3 |
| 28 | W | December 14, 1976 | 6–3 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1976–77) | 17–8–3 |
| 29 | W | December 16, 1976 | 7–2 | New York Rangers (1976–77) | 18–8–3 |
| 30 | W | December 18, 1976 | 4–2 | @ New York Islanders (1976–77) | 19–8–3 |
| 31 | W | December 19, 1976 | 6–1 | Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) | 20–8–3 |
| 32 | W | December 22, 1976 | 4–2 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) | 21–8–3 |
| 33 | W | December 23, 1976 | 4–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1976–77) | 22–8–3 |
| 34 | W | December 26, 1976 | 5–2 | Washington Capitals (1976–77) | 23–8–3 |
| 35 | W | December 29, 1976 | 6–3 | @ Atlanta Flames (1976–77) | 24–8–3 |
| 36 | L | January 1, 1977 | 3–6 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) | 24–9–3 |
| 37 | T | January 2, 1977 | 3–3 | New York Islanders (1976–77) | 24–9–4 |
| 38 | L | January 5, 1977 | 1–2 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) | 24–10–4 |
| 39 | L | January 6, 1977 | 2–9 | Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) | 24–11–4 |
| 40 | W | January 8, 1977 | 4–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1976–77) | 25–11–4 |
| 41 | W | January 9, 1977 | 7–4 | Cleveland Barons (1976–77) | 26–11–4 |
| 42 | W | January 13, 1977 | 7–5 | New York Rangers (1976–77) | 27–11–4 |
| 43 | L | January 15, 1977 | 2–5 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) | 27–12–4 |
| 44 | W | January 16, 1977 | 3–0 | Colorado Rockies (1976–77) | 28–12–4 |
| 45 | L | January 19, 1977 | 2–4 | Washington Capitals (1976–77) | 28–13–4 |
| 46 | L | January 22, 1977 | 3–4 | @ Minnesota North Stars (1976–77) | 28–14–4 |
| 47 | L | January 23, 1977 | 0–3 | Cleveland Barons (1976–77) | 28–15–4 |
| 48 | T | January 27, 1977 | 1–1 | Atlanta Flames (1976–77) | 28–15–5 |
| 49 | T | January 29, 1977 | 3–3 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) | 28–15–6 |
| 50 | L | February 1, 1977 | 3–6 | @ New York Islanders (1976–77) | 28–16–6 |
| 51 | W | February 3, 1977 | 6–4 | @ Colorado Rockies (1976–77) | 29–16–6 |
| 52 | L | February 5, 1977 | 5–6 | @ St. Louis Blues (1976–77) | 29–17–6 |
| 53 | W | February 9, 1977 | 2–1 | @ New York Rangers (1976–77) | 30–17–6 |
| 54 | W | February 10, 1977 | 4–3 | Boston Bruins (1976–77) | 31–17–6 |
| 55 | W | February 13, 1977 | 6–2 | Minnesota North Stars (1976–77) | 32–17–6 |
| 56 | W | February 14, 1977 | 7–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1976–77) | 33–17–6 |
| 57 | W | February 16, 1977 | 3–0 | Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) | 34–17–6 |
| 58 | W | February 19, 1977 | 2–1 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) | 35–17–6 |
| 59 | L | February 20, 1977 | 2–4 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1976–77) | 35–18–6 |
| 60 | W | February 23, 1977 | 5–3 | @ Cleveland Barons (1976–77) | 36–18–6 |
| 61 | W | February 24, 1977 | 2–0 | Philadelphia Flyers (1976–77) | 37–18–6 |
| 62 | W | February 26, 1977 | 6–5 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1976–77) | 38–18–6 |
| 63 | L | February 27, 1977 | 1–5 | Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) | 38–19–6 |
| 64 | W | March 2, 1977 | 6–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1976–77) | 39–19–6 |
| 65 | W | March 3, 1977 | 7–2 | Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) | 40–19–6 |
| 66 | L | March 5, 1977 | 1–3 | @ Boston Bruins (1976–77) | 40–20–6 |
| 67 | W | March 6, 1977 | 4–1 | Montreal Canadiens (1976–77) | 41–20–6 |
| 68 | W | March 9, 1977 | 6–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1976–77) | 42–20–6 |
| 69 | L | March 12, 1977 | 2–3 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1976–77) | 42–21–6 |
| 70 | W | March 13, 1977 | 6–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1976–77) | 43–21–6 |
| 71 | W | March 16, 1977 | 6–2 | @ Cleveland Barons (1976–77) | 44–21–6 |
| 72 | L | March 17, 1977 | 2–4 | @ Boston Bruins (1976–77) | 44–22–6 |
| 73 | W | March 20, 1977 | 6–2 | @ Washington Capitals (1976–77) | 45–22–6 |
| 74 | W | March 22, 1977 | 6–3 | @ Atlanta Flames (1976–77) | 46–22–6 |
| 75 | W | March 23, 1977 | 4–2 | Cleveland Barons (1976–77) | 47–22–6 |
| 76 | T | March 25, 1977 | 2–2 | @ Colorado Rockies (1976–77) | 47–22–7 |
| 77 | L | March 26, 1977 | 4–6 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1976–77) | 47–23–7 |
| 78 | L | March 30, 1977 | 3–4 | Boston Bruins (1976–77) | 47–24–7 |
| 79 | T | April 2, 1977 | 1–1 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1976–77) | 47–24–8 |
| 80 | W | April 3, 1977 | 7–3 | St. Louis Blues (1976–77) | 48–24–8 |

## Playoffs
### Preliminary round vs. Minnesota North Stars

Game 1 (11-Apr-77) Minnesota 2 Buffalo 4
Game 2 (13-Apr-77) Buffalo 7 Minnesota 1
Buffalo wins series 2-0

### Quarterfinals vs. New York Islanders

Game 1: Buffalo 2 New York 4
Game 2: Buffalo 2 New York 4
Game 3: New York 4 Buffalo 3
Game 4: New York 4 Buffalo 3
New York wins series 4-0

## Draft picks

Buffalo's draft picks at the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft held in Montreal.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 2 | 33 | Joe Kowal | Canada | Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL) |
| 4 | 69 | Rocky Maze | Canada | Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL) |
| 5 | 87 | Ron Roscoe | Canada | Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL) |
| 6 | 105 | Don Lemieux | Canada | Trois-Rivières Draveurs (QMJHL) |