Hockey is a fascinating sport. While the players careen up and down the ice at top speed, crazy things sometimes go unnoticed. Some things happen off the ice that are mysterious, curious, or just downright hilarious.
This is Part I of a series of articles featuring the best triva, lore, history, and "factoids" of the Buffalo Sabres. Read on and enjoy. There will be more to follow: as Sabres' announcer Rick Jeanneret says, "Plenty more comin' up in a moment!"
Quick Starts
Danny Gare, Alex Mogilny, and Denis Hamel scored on their their first NHL shifts. Pat LaFontaine and Geoff Sanderson scored on their first shifts with the Sabres.
The First Goal
The Sabres' first goal ever was scored by Jim Watson on 10-10-70 in Pittsburgh at 5:01 of the 1st period. It was lucky timing for Watson, as it earned him a spot in Buffalo Sabres history. In his NHL career, Watson played in 221 games, scoring only four times, while adding nineteen assists.
Coincidentally, Watson is the only other player in franchise history to don the #2 besides the late great Tim Horton (whose number the Sabres retired).
The Rob Ray Sandwich
Rob Ray scored two goals in his debut, and two goals in his last game.
Darcy Reiger - the Player
Sabres GM Darcy Reiger was the 5th choice (77th overall) of the California Golden Seals in the 1976 Amateur Draft. He appeared in 26 NHL games over the course of 3 seasons with the Cleveland Barons and the New York Islanders, totaling 2 assists 35 penalty minutes.
The One Punch KO
1972: Buffalo takes Larry Carriere 25th overall, in the second round. Arguably, the highlight of his NHL career – 7 seasons, 367 games, 16 goals and 74 assists with five teams – was Carriere’s one-punch KO of Montreal's Yvon Lambert.
Pure Sabres
There are only two players who have played their entire career with the Sabres and totaled over 1,000 games - Gilbert Perrault (1191), and Craig Ramsay (1070).
We'll end this article with a real charmer...
Porky Palmer
Encil "Porky" Palmer, a longtime Sabres employee at the old Memorial Auditorium, had his hand, er, foot, in a lot of Sabres goals. He would situate himself behind the Zamboni door, near the net that the opposition would guard during the first and third periods.
Whenever a puck would slide around the boards in that area, Palmer would kick the door, sending the puck ricocheting right out into the slot in front of the unsuspecting visiting goalie.
Ex-goalie Greg Millen, for one, was burned that way. (Millen played for Pittsburgh, Hartford, St. Louis, Quebec, Chicago, Detroit, and San Diego.)
"I remember one night, he did it and the Sabres ended up scoring," said Millen. "I was so livid, I slammed my stick against the glass right by his (Porky's) ear. They had enough of a home-ice advantage, with the rink being smaller than normal. But that was too much."
Previous to being the nemesis of netminders at the Aud, Porky played for the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL and the Syracuse Blazers of the EHL in 64-65 and 67-68. His position?
Goaltender. Ironic? Yes.
Ah, the good ol' days. I don't think you would ever see that kind of mischief under the scrutiny of today's world of HD television.
Need more Sabres Trivia, Lore, History, and Factoids? Make sure to check below for "plenty more comin' up in a moment."
See Also:
"Buffalo Sabres Draft History"
"How the Sabres Scouting Staff Handed the Islanders a Dynasty"
Scott Michalak - Scott Michalak was born in Buffalo, New York, and has since traveled and lived in places such as England, Belgium, Australia, and around ...
