2007–08 Buffalo Sabres season NHL hockey team season
The 2007–08 Buffalo Sabres season was the 38th season of operation, 37th season of play, for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on May 22, 1970.[ 2]
Prior to the season, the Sabres lost their co-captains of the previous two seasons, Daniel Briere and Chris Drury . Briere and Drury were signed as free agents on July 1 by the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers , respectively.[ 3] [ 4] Dainius Zubrus was also lost to free agency, as he was signed by the New Jersey Devils on July 3.[ 5] Thomas Vanek , who led the team in goals the previous season with 43, was a restricted free agent and was almost lost as well; the Edmonton Oilers signed him to a seven-year, $50 million offer sheet on July 6, but the Sabres matched the offer, retaining him.[ 6]
Jocelyn Thibault was signed to the Sabres' roster on July 5 to serve as a veteran backup to the team's starting goaltender, Ryan Miller .[ 7] Thibault replaced Ty Conklin , who had served as Miller's backup for the last month of the 2006–07 season and during the playoffs. Conklin was signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 18.[ 8]
After losing both Briere and Drury in the off-season, the Sabres' captaincy was vacated. Prior to the season, the team announced that it would rotate captaincy throughout the season, just as it did during the 2003–04 season . Jochen Hecht was named the October captain under this system.[ 9] Toni Lydman was named captain for November,[ 10] Brian Campbell was named captain for December,[ 11] and Jaroslav Spacek was named captain for January[ 12] before the captaincy was cycled back to Hecht in February.[ 13] Jason Pominville was named the team's captain in March, and he finished the season in the role.
Longtime Sabres' color commentator Jim Lorentz retired just prior to the season.[ 14] He was replaced in the broadcast booth by longtime Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Harry Neale .[ 15]
The Sabres' January 1 home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins was played outdoors at Ralph Wilson Stadium , home of the National Football League 's Buffalo Bills . The NHL called the event the AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic .[ 16] In addition to selling tickets at Ralph Wilson Stadium, the Sabres also sold tickets to HSBC Arena for the game, which was broadcast for fans on the arena's video scoreboard.[ 17]
Brian Campbell was the Sabres' lone representative in the 2008 NHL All-Star Game , as he was named to the team as a reserve defenseman. It was his second consecutive All-Star Game appearance.[ 18] Campbell was then traded to the San Jose Sharks on February 26 in exchange for Steve Bernier and a first-round pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft .[ 19]
Regular season
On January 18, 2008, the Sabres defeated the Atlanta Thrashers at home by a score of 10–1. Derek Roy and Drew Stafford each had a hat-trick.[ 20] It was the first time that an NHL team had scored 10 goals in a regular season game since January 4, 2007, when the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Boston Bruins on the road by a score of 10–2.[ 21] It was also the first time that the Sabres had scored 10 goals in a game since January 14, 2006, when they defeated the Los Angeles Kings at home by a score of 10–1. Coincidentally, two Sabres had hat-tricks in that game as well: Jochen Hecht and Jason Pominville .[ 22]
Divisional standings
Conference standings
Divisions: AT – Atlantic, NE – Northeast, SE – Southeast
bold – qualified for playoffs, y – division winner, z – placed first in conference (and division)
For complete standings, see 2007–08 NHL season .
Schedule and results
October
Record: 5–5–0; Home: 3–2–0; Road: 2–3–0
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
1
October 5
NY Islanders
6 – 4
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
0–1–0
0
2
October 6
Buffalo
2 – 3
NY Islanders
Miller
16,234
0–2–0
0
3
October 11
Atlanta
0 – 6
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
1–2–0
2
4
October 13
Washington
3 – 7
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
2–2–0
4
5
October 15
Toronto
4 – 5
Buffalo
OT
Thibault
18,217
3–2–0
6
6
October 19
Columbus
3 – 0
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
3–3–0
6
7
October 20
Buffalo
2 – 4
Montreal
Miller
21,273
3–4–0
6
8
October 24
Buffalo
2 – 6
Carolina
Miller
16,058
3–5–0
6
9
October 26
Buffalo
4 – 2
Florida
Miller
15,842
4–5–0
8
10
October 27
Buffalo
4 – 3
Tampa Bay
OT
Miller
19,804
5–5–0
10
November
Record: 6–6–1; Home: 4–3–0; Road: 2–3–1
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
11
November 1
Buffalo
3 – 4
Boston
OT
Miller
13,479
5–5–1
11
12
November 2
Florida
4 – 2
Buffalo
Thibault
18,690
5–6–1
11
13
November 5
Buffalo
0 – 2
Montreal
Miller
21,273
5–7–1
11
14
November 7
Boston
1 – 2
Buffalo
OT
Miller
18,690
6–7–1
13
15
November 9
Toronto
3 – 0
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
6–8–1
13
16
November 10
Buffalo
1 – 2
Boston
Miller
17,565
6–9–1
13
17
November 15
Buffalo
2 – 3
Ottawa
Miller
19,279
6–10–1
13
18
November 16
Montreal
1 – 4
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
7–10–1
15
19
November 21
Ottawa
2 – 4
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
8–10–1
17
20
November 23
Montreal
2 – 4
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
9–10–1
19
21
November 24
Buffalo
3 – 0
Montreal
Thibault
21,273
10–10–1
21
22
November 26
Buffalo
3 – 1
Washington
Miller
11,204
11–10–1
23
23
November 28
St. Louis
4 – 3
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
11–11–1
23
December
On December 22, the Sabres won their first shootout victory of the season on the road in Philadelphia against the Philadelphia Flyers . Thomas Vanek scored with 7.2 seconds left in the third period, beating former Sabres goaltender Martin Biron from the right circle to force overtime, and Ales Kotalik of the Sabres scored the only shootout goal to provide the Sabres with a win, adding to their total with six victories in a row.[ 23]
Record: 8–5–1; Home: 4–2–0; Road: 4–3–1
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
24
December 1
Carolina
1 – 8
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
12–11–1
25
25
December 5
Buffalo
1 – 4
Anaheim
Miller
17,174
12–12–1
25
26
December 6
Buffalo
2 – 8
Los Angeles
Thibault
15,980
12–13–1
25
27
December 8
Buffalo
7 – 1
San Jose
Miller
17,496
13–13–1
27
28
December 10
Boston
4 – 1
Buffalo
Miller
18,302
13–14–1
27
29
December 12
NY Islanders
3 – 5
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
14–14–1
29
30
December 14
Buffalo
5 – 3
Washington
Miller
17,035
15–14–1
31
31
December 15
Chicago
1 – 3
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
16–14–1
33
32
December 19
Buffalo
2 – 1
NY Islanders
Miller
10,806
17–14–1
35
33
December 21
Philadelphia
2 – 3
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
18–14–1
37
34
December 22
Buffalo
6 – 5
Philadelphia
SO
Miller
19,606
19–14–1
39
35
December 26
Ottawa
5 – 3
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
19–15–1
39
36
December 28
Buffalo
1 – 2
New Jersey
SO
Miller
17,625
19–15–2
40
37
December 29
Buffalo
0 – 2
Pittsburgh
Miller
17,132
19–16–2
40
January
Record: 4–5–4; Home: 1–1–2; Road: 3–4–2
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
38
January 1
Pittsburgh
2 – 1
Buffalo*
SO
Miller
71,217
19–16–3
41
39
January 4
Ottawa
5 – 3
Buffalo
Thibault
18,690
19–17–3
41
40
January 6
Buffalo
2 – 5
Atlanta
Miller
15,213
19–18–3
41
41
January 8
Buffalo
1 – 2
New Jersey
SO
Miller
14,030
19–18–4
42
42
January 10
Buffalo
2 – 3
Ottawa
SO
Thibault
19,843
19–18–5
43
43
January 12
New Jersey
3 – 2
Buffalo
SO
Miller
18,690
19–18–6
44
44
January 16
Buffalo
1 – 2
NY Rangers
Miller
18,200
19–19–6
44
45
January 18
Atlanta
1 – 10
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
20–19–6
46
46
January 19
Buffalo
2 – 4
Toronto
Miller
19,436
20–20–6
46
47
January 21
Buffalo
2 – 6
Phoenix
Thibault
16,981
20–21–6
46
48
January 24
Buffalo
2 – 1
Dallas
Miller
18,532
21–21–6
48
49
January 29
Buffalo
4 – 2
Tampa Bay
Miller
18,920
22–21–6
50
50
January 30
Buffalo
1 – 0
Florida
Miller
14,024
23–21–6
52
*Played at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York .
February
Record: 8–4–3; Home: 5–3–2; Road: 3–1–1
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
51
February 1
Buffalo
4 – 5
Atlanta
SO
Thibault
17,064
23–21–7
53
52
February 5
Buffalo
4 – 2
Boston
Miller
13,427
24–21–7
55
53
February 6
New Jersey
2 – 3
Buffalo
SO
Miller
18,690
25–21–7
57
54
February 8
Boston
3 – 2
Buffalo
SO
Miller
18,690
25–21–8
58
55
February 10
Florida
3 – 5
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
26–21–8
60
56
February 12
Buffalo
5 – 1
Ottawa
Miller
19,564
27–21–8
62
57
February 13
Toronto
0 – 1
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
28–21–8
64
58
February 16
Buffalo
1 – 5
NY Rangers
Miller
18,200
28–22–8
64
59
February 17
Pittsburgh
4 – 1
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
28–23–8
64
60
February 20
Tampa Bay
3 – 4
Buffalo
OT
Miller
18,690
29–23–8
66
61
February 21
Buffalo
5 – 1
Toronto
Miller
19,467
30–23–8
68
62
February 23
NY Rangers
4 – 3
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
30–24–8
68
63
February 25
Philadelphia
4 – 3
Buffalo
SO
Miller
18,690
30–24–9
69
64
February 27
Nashville
4 – 8
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
31–24–9
71
62
February 29
Montreal
6 – 2
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
31–25–9
71
March
Record: 6–5–3; Home: 3–4–2; Road: 3–1–1
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
66
March 2
Detroit
4 – 2
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
31–26–9
71
67
March 4
Buffalo
5 – 2
Philadelphia
Miller
19,516
32–26–9
73
68
March 5
Washington
3 – 1
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
32–27–9
73
69
March 8
Buffalo
3 – 4
Carolina
OT
Miller
18,808
32–27–10
74
70
March 10
NY Rangers
3 – 2
Buffalo
SO
Miller
18,690
32–27–11
75
71
March 12
Buffalo
3 – 7
Pittsburgh
Miller
17,132
32–28–11
75
72
March 14
Carolina
1 – 7
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
33–28–11
77
73
March 15
Buffalo
6 – 2
Toronto
Miller
19,462
34–28–11
79
74
March 19
Tampa Bay
4 – 7
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
35–28–11
81
75
March 21
Toronto
4 – 1
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
35–29–11
81
76
March 25
Ottawa
6 – 3
Buffalo
Miller
18,690
35–30–11
81
77
March 27
Buffalo
4 – 3
Ottawa
SO
Miller
19,883
36–30–11
83
78
March 28
Montreal
4 – 3
Buffalo
OT
Miller
18,690
36–30–12
84
79
March 30
Boston
1 – 2
Buffalo
OT
Miller
18,690
37–30–12
86
April
Record: 2–1–0; Home: 0–0–0; Road: 2–1–0
#
Date
Visitor
Score
Home
OT
Decision
Attendance
Record
Pts
80
April 1
Buffalo
4 – 3
Toronto
SO
Miller
19,288
38–30–12
88
81
April 3
Buffalo
1 – 3
Montreal
Miller
21,273
38–31–12
88
82
April 5
Buffalo
3 – 0
Boston
Thibault
17,565
39–31–12
90
Playoffs
After winning the Presidents' Trophy in the 2006–07 NHL season , the Sabres failed to qualify for the playoffs despite having 90 points.
Player statistics
Skaters
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
*Stats reflect games played with Buffalo only.
Note: Goaltenders are not assessed plus/minus ratings.
Goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Awards and records
Records
Milestones
Regular season
Player
Milestone
Date achieved
Jason Pominville
100th NHL point
October 13, 2007
Derek Roy
200th NHL game
October 19, 2007
Mike Weber
1st NHL game[ 24]
October 26, 2007
Jochen Hecht
300th NHL point[ 25]
October 26, 2007
Andrej Sekera
1st NHL assist 1st NHL point[ 26]
October 26, 2007
Tim Connolly
400th NHL game
October 27, 2007
Andrej Sekera
1st NHL goal[ 27]
November 28, 2007
Maxim Afinogenov
500th NHL game[ 28]
December 26, 2007
Thomas Vanek
200th NHL Game
December 29, 2007
Drew Stafford
1st NHL hat trick[ 29]
January 18, 2008
Patrick Kaleta
1st NHL goal[ 30]
February 10, 2008
Ryan Miller
100th NHL win[ 31]
February 10, 2008
Thomas Vanek
1st NHL hat trick[ 32]
February 12, 2008
Marc-Andre Gragnani
1st NHL game
February 23, 2008
Mike Weber
1st NHL assist 1st NHL point[ 33]
March 12, 2008
Thomas Vanek
100th NHL Goal
March 21, 2008
Ryan Miller
200th NHL Game
March 25, 2008
Coach
Milestone
Date achieved
Lindy Ruff
800th NHL game
February 23, 2008
Transactions
The Sabres have been involved in the following transactions during the 2007–08 season.
Trades
Free agents acquired
Draft picks
Buffalo's picks at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in Columbus, Ohio .[ 35]
Farm teams
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans remain Buffalo's top affiliate in the American Hockey League in 2007–08 . It is expected to be the last year of the two teams' long affiliation and the teams are expected to part ways at the end of the season.
See also
References
Player stats: Buffalo Sabres player stats on espn.com
Schedule: Buffalo Sabres schedule on sabres.com
Game log: Buffalo Sabres game log on espn.com
Team standings: NHL standings on espn.com
^ Average attendance figure only accounts for games at HSBC Arena. It does not include the 71,217 in attendance at Ralph Wilson Stadium for the AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic on January 1.
^ National Hockey League (2010). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2011 . Triumph Books. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-60078-422-4 .
^ Briere signs 8-year $52 million deal with Flyers [permanent dead link ]
^ Rangers sign free-agent centers Gomez and Drury [permanent dead link ]
^ Devils sign free agent Zubrus [permanent dead link ]
^ Sabres retain Vanek by matching Oilers' $50 million offer [permanent dead link ]
^ Sabres shore up goaltending, sign Thibault; re-sign forwards Peters, Ryan [permanent dead link ]
^ Pittsburgh Penguins sign goaltender Ty Conklin to one-year contract [permanent dead link ]
^ Sabres to rotate captaincy this season
^ Toni Lydman named captain for November Archived 2007-11-01 at the Wayback Machine
^ Campbell Named Sabres' Captain for November Archived 2007-08-11 at archive.today
^ Spacek is Captain January Archived 2007-08-11 at archive.today
^ Max Re-Injures Groin; Hecht Captain For February [permanent dead link ]
^ Jim Lorentz announces his retirement Archived 2008-02-21 at the Wayback Machine
^ Harry Neale joins Sabres broadcast team Archived 2007-10-09 at the Wayback Machine
^ 2008 Winter Classic Archived 2008-05-14 at the Wayback Machine
^ Sabres to Host Winter Classic House Party Archived January 2, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
^ Campbell named to NHL All-Star Team Archived 2008-01-12 at the Wayback Machine
^ "Sharks acquire Campbell from Sabres" . Archived from the original on February 29, 2008. Retrieved December 5, 2017 .
^ "Atlanta Thrashers at Buffalo Sabres Box Score — January 18, 2008" .
^ "Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins Box Score — January 4, 2007" .
^ "Los Angeles Kings at Buffalo Sabres Box Score — January 14, 2006" .
^ NHL.com - Recap: Sabres 6, Flyers 5, SO
^ Notebook: Weber solid in first game Archived 2007-10-27 at the Wayback Machine
^ Recap: Buffalo @ Florida - 10/26/2007 Archived 2007-10-29 at the Wayback Machine
^ Buffalo Sabres - Team: Andrej Sekera Official Player Page Archived 2007-12-30 at the Wayback Machine
^ Recap: St. Louis @ Buffalo - 11/28/2007 Archived 2007-11-30 at the Wayback Machine
^ Senators pour it on in 2nd period to end Sabres' win streak
^ Stafford, Roy hat tricks helps Sabres stop 10–game skid
^ Buffalo Sabres Notebook - 02/10/2008 Archived 2008-02-12 at the Wayback Machine
^ Sabres' Roy scores twice as Panthers fall for second time in six games
^ Vanek nets first career hat trick in Sabres' rout
^ Crosby sits; offense thrives
^ Buffalo Sabres and free agent D Nolan Pratt agree to terms on contract [permanent dead link ]
^ 2007 NHL Entry Draft Results nhl.com [dead link ]
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