1974–75 Buffalo Sabres season

The 1974–75 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' 5th season in the National Hockey League. After a subpar year in 1974 that saw them miss the playoffs, the Sabres finished in a tie for the best record in the NHL in the 1974–75 regular season. They advanced to the 1975 Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in team history and lost to the Philadelphia Flyers 4 games to 2.
==Off-season==
===Draft Picks===
Round	# 	Player 	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team
1 	11	Lee Fogolin (D)	 	Oshawa Generals (OHA)
==Regular Season==
On October 10, 1974, Danny Gare scored a goal 18 seconds into the first game of his career. National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p.187, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN 0-920445-98-5
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results 	Regular Season Results
No. 	R 	Date 	Score 	Opponent 	Record
2 	L 	October 12, 1974 	1–6 	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1974–75) 	1–1–0
6 	T 	October 20, 1974 	5–5 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75) 	3–2–1
7 	L 	October 24, 1974 	2–7 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1974–75) 	3–3–1
8 	W 	October 26, 1974 	2–0 	@ St. Louis Blues (1974–75) 	4–3–1
9 	W 	October 27, 1974 	3–2 	Montreal Canadiens (1974–75) 	5–3–1
10 	W 	November 2, 1974 	6–3 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75) 	6–3–1
11 	W 	November 3, 1974 	4–3 	@ New York Rangers (1974–75) 	7–3–1
12 	T 	November 5, 1974 	2–2 	@ Boston Bruins (1974–75) 	7–3–2
13 	W 	November 6, 1974 	6–4 	Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75) 	8–3–2
14 	W 	November 9, 1974 	6–1 	@ Kansas City Scouts (1974–75) 	9–3–2
15 	W 	November 10, 1974 	8–3 	Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75) 	10–3–2
16 	W 	November 13, 1974 	8–6 	@ Montreal Canadiens (1974–75) 	11–3–2
17 	W 	November 14, 1974 	5–3 	Minnesota North Stars (1974–75) 	12–3–2
18 	L 	November 16, 1974 	5–7 	@ Boston Bruins (1974–75) 	12–4–2
19 	W 	November 17, 1974 	4–0 	Atlanta Flames (1974–75) 	13–4–2
20 	W 	November 20, 1974 	7–3 	Washington Capitals (1974–75) 	14–4–2
21 	T 	November 22, 1974 	4–4 	@ Atlanta Flames (1974–75) 	14–4–3
22 	W 	November 24, 1974 	6–4 	Montreal Canadiens (1974–75) 	15–4–3
23 	W 	November 27, 1974 	3–1 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75) 	16–4–3
24 	W 	November 28, 1974 	5–2 	Detroit Red Wings (1974–75) 	17–4–3
25 	T 	November 30, 1974 	5–5 	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75) 	17–4–4
26 	W 	December 1, 1974 	6–3 	Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75) 	18–4–4
27 	W 	December 3, 1974 	5–3 	@ Washington Capitals (1974–75) 	19–4–4
28 	W 	December 5, 1974 	9–2 	Washington Capitals (1974–75) 	20–4–4
29 	W 	December 8, 1974 	5–0 	Minnesota North Stars (1974–75) 	21–4–4
30 	L 	December 12, 1974 	3–5 	Vancouver Canucks (1974–75) 	21–5–4
31 	L 	December 14, 1974 	2–4 	@ Minnesota North Stars (1974–75) 	21–6–4
32 	T 	December 15, 1974 	5–5 	California Golden Seals (1974–75) 	21–6–5
33 	W 	December 18, 1974 	3–2 	New York Islanders (1974–75) 	22–6–5
34 	W 	December 22, 1974 	4–0 	@ Washington Capitals (1974–75) 	23–6–5
35 	W 	December 26, 1974 	3–1 	Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75) 	24–6–5
36 	L 	December 27, 1974 	5–9 	@ New York Rangers (1974–75) 	24–7–5
37 	L 	December 29, 1974 	2–5 	Philadelphia Flyers (1974–75) 	24–8–5
38 	T 	January 3, 1975 	2–2 	@ California Golden Seals (1974–75)	24–8–6
39 	W 	January 5, 1975 	4–2 	St. Louis Blues (1974–75) 	25–8–6
40 	L 	January 9, 1975 	2–5 	Los Angeles Kings (1974–75) 	25–9–6
41 	T 	January 11, 1975 	3–3 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1974–75) 	25–9–7
42 	W 	January 12, 1975 	5–1 	Vancouver Canucks (1974–75) 	26–9–7
43 	W 	January 15, 1975 	4–0 	@ California Golden Seals (1974–75)	27–9–7
44 	W 	January 17, 1975 	4–2 	@ Vancouver Canucks (1974–75) 	28–9–7
45 	W 	January 19, 1975 	5–0 	Kansas City Scouts (1974–75) 	29–9–7
46 	W 	January 23, 1975 	5–1 	Detroit Red Wings (1974–75) 	30–9–7
47 	W 	January 25, 1975 	7–6 	@ Montreal Canadiens (1974–75) 	31–9–7
48 	L 	January 26, 1975 	3–4 	Atlanta Flames (1974–75) 	31–10–7
49 	W 	January 30, 1975 	6–3 	New York Rangers (1974–75) 	32–10–7
50 	L 	February 1, 1975 	0–6 	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1974–75) 	32–11–7
51 	W 	February 2, 1975 	8–1 	Kansas City Scouts (1974–75) 	33–11–7
52 	W 	February 4, 1975 	6–1 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1974–75) 	34–11–7
53 	T 	February 6, 1975 	2–2 	@ New York Islanders (1974–75) 	34–11–8
54 	T 	February 9, 1975 	4–4 	Montreal Canadiens (1974–75) 	34–11–9
55 	T 	February 12, 1975 	3–3 	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75) 	34–11–10
56 	W 	February 13, 1975 	3–1 	Boston Bruins (1974–75) 	35–11–10
57 	T 	February 16, 1975 	4–4 	St. Louis Blues (1974–75) 	35–11–11
58 	W 	February 18, 1975 	3–2 	@ New York Islanders (1974–75) 	36–11–11
59 	T 	February 20, 1975 	6–6 	Philadelphia Flyers (1974–75) 	36–11–12
60 	W 	February 21, 1975 	9–4 	@ Washington Capitals (1974–75) 	37–11–12
61 	W 	February 23, 1975 	4–1 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75) 	38–11–12
62 	W 	February 27, 1975 	5–0 	Los Angeles Kings (1974–75) 	39–11–12
63 	L 	March 1, 1975 	2–3 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1974–75) 	39–12–12
64 	T 	March 2, 1975 	3–3 	New York Islanders (1974–75) 	39–12–13
65 	W 	March 5, 1975 	6–3 	@ New York Rangers (1974–75) 	40–12–13
66 	T 	March 8, 1975 	3–3 	@ St. Louis Blues (1974–75) 	40–12–14
67 	W 	March 9, 1975 	8–4 	Pittsburgh Penguins (1974–75) 	41–12–14
68 	T 	March 11, 1975 	2–2 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1974–75) 	41–12–15
69 	W 	March 12, 1975 	7–2 	@ California Golden Seals (1974–75)	42–12–15
70 	L 	March 14, 1975 	1–5 	@ Vancouver Canucks (1974–75) 	42–13–15
71 	W 	March 16, 1975 	11–3 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75) 	43–13–15
72 	W 	March 20, 1975 	6–3 	New York Rangers (1974–75) 	44–13–15
73 	W 	March 22, 1975 	4–2 	@ Kansas City Scouts (1974–75) 	45–13–15
74 	W 	March 23, 1975 	9–4 	California Golden Seals (1974–75) 	46–13–15
75 	L 	March 26, 1975 	1–5 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1974–75) 	46–14–15
76 	L 	March 28, 1975 	2–3 	@ Atlanta Flames (1974–75) 	46–15–15
77 	L 	March 30, 1975 	4–5 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75) 	46–16–15
78 	W 	April 1, 1975 	3–1 	@ Boston Bruins (1974–75) 	47–16–15
79 	W 	April 3, 1975 	4–2 	Boston Bruins (1974–75) 	48–16–15
80 	W 	April 5, 1975 	4–2 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1974–75) 	49–16–15
==Playoffs==
===Buffalo Sabres 4, Chicago Black Hawks 1===
===Buffalo Sabres 4, Montreal Canadiens 2===
===Philadelphia Flyers 4, Buffalo Sabres 2===
Due to unusual heat in Buffalo in May 1975, portions of the game were played in heavy fog. Players, officials, and the puck were invisible to many spectators. During a face-off and through the fog, Sabres center Jim Lorentz spotted a bat flying across the rink, raised his stick, and killed it. Many superstitious Buffalo fans considered this to be an "Evil Omen," pertaining to the result of the series. It was the only time that any player killed an animal during an NHL game. The Sabres won that game thanks to Rene Robert's goal in overtime. However, Philadelphia would wind up taking the Cup Final to six games, winning the series 4 games to 2.
Date 	Visitors 	Score	Home 	Score	Notes
May 15	Buffalo 	1 	Philadelphia	4 	
May 18	Buffalo 	1 	Philadelphia	2 	
May 20	Philadelphia	4 	Buffalo 	5 	OT
May 22	Philadelphia	2 	Buffalo 	4 	
May 25	Buffalo 	1 	Philadelphia	5 	
May 27	Philadelphia	2 	Buffalo 	0 	
==Player Stats==
===Forwards===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
 	 	 	 	 	
===Defencemen===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
 	 	 	 	 	
===Goaltending===
Note: GP = Games played; W= Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
Player	GP	W	L	T	SO	GAA
 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Awards and Records==
* Prince of Wales Trophy: Buffalo Sabres
* Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: Don Luce
* Rick Martin, Left Wing, NHL First Team All-Star
* Rene Robert, Right Wing, NHL Second Team All-Star
* Club Record, Most Goals For (354)
==References==
* Sabres on Hockey Database
Category:Buffalo Sabres seasons
Category:1974 in hockey
Category:1975 in hockey