1992–93 Buffalo Sabres season explained

League:NHL
Season:1992–93
Year:1992
Team:Buffalo Sabres
Conferencerank:7th
Divisionrank:4th
Record:38–36–10
Homerecord:25–15–2
Roadrecord:13–21–8
Goalsfor:335
Goalsagainst:297
Captain:Mike Ramsey (Oct)
Pat LaFontaine (Oct-May)
Attendance:14,981
Goalsleader:Alexander Mogilny (76)
Assistsleader:Pat LaFontaine (95)
Pointsleader:Pat LaFontaine (148)
Plusminusleader:Doug Bodger (+14)
Pimleader:Brad May (242)
Winsleader:Grant Fuhr, Dominik Hasek & Daren Puppa (11)
Gaaleader:Dominik Hasek (3.15)

The 1992–93 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' 23rd season in the National Hockey League. Three Buffalo players scored at least 20 power-play goals each (Dave Andreychuk, Pat LaFontaine and Alexander Mogilny).[1] Mogilny led all skaters in hat tricks during the regular season with 7, and Buffalo tied the Pittsburgh Penguins for most hat tricks scored by a team, with 10. The Sabres stumbled into the 1993 NHL Playoffs, losing their final 7 regular-season games.[2]

Offseason

NHL Draft

Buffalo's draft picks at the 1992 NHL Entry Draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec.

RoundPlayerNationalityCollege/Junior/Club team
111David CooperMedicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
235Jozef CiernyZTK Zvolen (Czechoslovakia)
359Ondrej SteinerSkoda Plzen (Czechoslovakia)
480Dean MelansonSaint-Hyacinthe Laser (QMJHL)
483Matthew BarnabyBeauport Harfangs (QMJHL)
5107Markus KettererJokerit (Finland)
5108Yuri KhmylevKrylya Sovetov (Russia)
6131Paul RushforthNorth Bay Centennials (OHL)
8179Dean TiltgenTri-City Americans (WHL)
9203Todd SimonNiagara Falls Thunder (OHL)
10227Rick KowalskySault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
11251Chris ClancyCornwall Royals (OHL)

Regular season

Pat LaFontaine

LaFontaine exploded offensively in the 1992–93 season with a personal-best and team-record 148 points (53 goals and 95 assists). The 148 points are also the most points ever scored by an American-born player in one season. His play-making ability enabled his linemate, Alexander Mogilny to set a team season record with 76 goals, (both LaFontaine's 95 assists and Mogilny's 76 goals still stand as the Sabres' team records). LaFontaine finished as runner-up to Mario Lemieux in the scoring race and earned a spot on the postseason NHL All-Star Second Team. He was also a finalist for the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP and the Lady Byng Trophy as the most sportsmanlike player.

During the 1993 playoffs, LaFontaine engineered another great moment: in spite of playing with a damaged knee, as well as having fallen onto the ice, he still managed to set up Brad May's overtime, series-clinching goal against the Boston Bruins.

Season standings

Schedule and results

No.RDateScoreOpponentRecord
1LOctober 8, 19924–5 Quebec Nordiques (1992–93) 0–1–0
2WOctober 10, 19925–2 @ Hartford Whalers (1992–93) 1–1–0
3WOctober 11, 19928–2 Montreal Canadiens (1992–93) 2–1–0
4LOctober 13, 19925–6 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1992–93) 2–2–0
5WOctober 16, 19925–4 OTTampa Bay Lightning (1992–93) 3–2–0
6LOctober 17, 19924–6 @ Washington Capitals (1992–93) 3–3–0
7WOctober 21, 19924–1 Chicago Blackhawks (1992–93) 4–3–0
8WOctober 23, 19925–4 San Jose Sharks (1992–93) 5–3–0
9TOctober 28, 19924–4 OT@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1992–93) 5–3–1
10WOctober 30, 199212–3 Ottawa Senators (1992–93) 6–3–1
11TOctober 31, 19922–2 OT@ Ottawa Senators (1992–93) 6–3–2
12LNovember 2, 19926–7 OT@ New York Rangers (1992–93) 6–4–2
13LNovember 5, 19925–7 @ San Jose Sharks (1992–93) 6–5–2
14LNovember 7, 19922–5 @ Los Angeles Kings (1992–93) 6–6–2
15WNovember 11, 19927–2 Boston Bruins (1992–93) 7–6–2
16WNovember 13, 19928–2 Hartford Whalers (1992–93) 8–6–2
17LNovember 14, 19925–7 @ New York Islanders (1992–93) 8–7–2
18LNovember 17, 19922–4 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1992–93) 8–8–2
19LNovember 18, 19922–3 @ New Jersey Devils (1992–93) 8–9–2
20LNovember 21, 19923–4 Minnesota North Stars (1992–93) 8–10–2
21TNovember 22, 19924–4 OT@ Philadelphia Flyers (1992–93) 8–10–3
22TNovember 25, 19921–1 OTQuebec Nordiques (1992–93) 8–10–4
23WNovember 27, 19924–1 Ottawa Senators (1992–93) 9–10–4
24WNovember 29, 19925–2 @ Ottawa Senators (1992–93) 10–10–4
25LNovember 30, 19920–3 @ Montreal Canadiens (1992–93) 10–11–4
26TDecember 4, 19925–5 OTNew York Islanders (1992–93) 10–11–5
27LDecember 6, 19923–7 New Jersey Devils (1992–93) 10–12–5
28LDecember 7, 19923–4 @ Quebec Nordiques (1992–93) 10–13–5
29WDecember 9, 19925–2 Boston Bruins (1992–93) 11–13–5
30WDecember 11, 19929–3 Hartford Whalers (1992–93) 12–13–5
31TDecember 12, 19921–1 OT@ Hartford Whalers (1992–93) 12–13–6
32WDecember 15, 19923–2 @ Boston Bruins (1992–93) 13–13–6
33LDecember 19, 19922–4 @ Montreal Canadiens (1992–93) 13–14–6
34WDecember 20, 19925–4 Toronto Maple Leafs (1992–93) 14–14–6
35WDecember 23, 19924–1 Washington Capitals (1992–93) 15–14–6
36LDecember 27, 19922–4 Pittsburgh Penguins (1992–93) 15–15–6
37WDecember 31, 199211–6 New York Rangers (1992–93) 16–15–6
38WJanuary 2, 19937–2 @ Ottawa Senators (1992–93) 17–15–6
39WJanuary 3, 19936–5 OTSt. Louis Blues (1992–93) 18–15–6
40WJanuary 6, 19933–1 @ Hartford Whalers (1992–93) 19–15–6
41WJanuary 8, 19936–5 New York Islanders (1992–93) 20–15–6
42WJanuary 10, 19935–3 Calgary Flames (1992–93) 21–15–6
43LJanuary 12, 19932–5 @ Boston Bruins (1992–93) 21–16–6
44LJanuary 15, 19931–4 @ Vancouver Canucks (1992–93) 21–17–6
45LJanuary 17, 19932–3 OT@ Edmonton Oilers (1992–93) 21–18–6
46WJanuary 19, 19933–2 OT@ Calgary Flames (1992–93) 22–18–6
47WJanuary 22, 19936–2 Quebec Nordiques (1992–93) 23–18–6
48LJanuary 23, 19933–4 @ Quebec Nordiques (1992–93) 23–19–6
49WJanuary 26, 19934–3 OT@ Philadelphia Flyers (1992–93) 24–19–6
50WJanuary 27, 19934–3 Washington Capitals (1992–93) 25–19–6
51WJanuary 29, 19936–4 New York Rangers (1992–93) 26–19–6
52LJanuary 31, 19934–5 OTEdmonton Oilers (1992–93) 26–20–6
53WFebruary 3, 19933–2 Hartford Whalers (1992–93) 27–20–6
54LFebruary 8, 19932–4 @ Ottawa Senators (1992–93) 27–21–6
55WFebruary 10, 19936–2 @ Winnipeg Jets (1992–93) 28–21–6
56LFebruary 12, 19931–3 Vancouver Canucks (1992–93) 28–22–6
57WFebruary 14, 19937–4 Pittsburgh Penguins (1992–93) 29–22–6
58WFebruary 17, 19935–3 @ Hartford Whalers (1992–93) 30–22–6
59TFebruary 19, 19933–3 OT@ New Jersey Devils (1992–93) 30–22–7
60WFebruary 24, 199310–7 Detroit Red Wings (1992–93) 31–22–7
61LFebruary 26, 19934–6 Montreal Canadiens (1992–93) 31–23–7
62LFebruary 27, 19934–8 @ Montreal Canadiens (1992–93) 31–24–7
63LMarch 1, 19932–5 Vancouver Canucks (1992–93) 31–25–7
64TMarch 3, 19932–2 OT@ New York Rangers (1992–93) 31–25–8
65LMarch 5, 19932–4 Hartford Whalers (1992–93) 31–26–8
66WMarch 7, 19932–1 Winnipeg Jets (1992–93) 32–26–8
67WMarch 10, 19937–4 @ Quebec Nordiques (1992–93) 33–26–8
68TMarch 13, 19933–3 OT@ Hartford Whalers (1992–93) 33–26–9
69LMarch 15, 19932–4 Los Angeles Kings (1992–93) 33–27–9
70TMarch 16, 19932–2 OT@ St. Louis Blues (1992–93) 33–27–10
71WMarch 20, 19933–1 @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1992–93) 34–27–10
72WMarch 22, 19938–3 @ Montreal Canadiens (1992–93) 35–27–10
73LMarch 24, 19930–2 Boston Bruins (1992–93) 35–28–10
74WMarch 25, 19936–4 @ Chicago Blackhawks (1992–93) 36–28–10
75WMarch 28, 19933–1 Ottawa Senators (1992–93) 37–28–10
76LMarch 30, 19931–4 @ Washington Capitals (1992–93) 37–29–10
77WMarch 31, 19935–2 New Jersey Devils (1992–93) 38–29–10
78LApril 3, 19932–3 @ Boston Bruins (1992–93) 38–30–10
79LApril 4, 19930–3 Boston Bruins (1992–93) 38–31–10
80LApril 6, 19931–3 @ Minnesota North Stars (1992–93) 38–32–10
81LApril 10, 19935–6 @ Detroit Red Wings (1992–93) 38–33–10
82LApril 11, 19931–3 Quebec Nordiques (1992–93) 38–34–10
83LApril 13, 19932–3 OTMontreal Canadiens (1992–93) 38–35–10
84LApril 15, 19934–7 Philadelphia Flyers (1992–93) 38–36–10

Playoffs

1993 Stanley Cup playoffs

Adams Division semi-finals

Boston vs. Buffalo

Buffalo's four-game sweep of the Bruins ended with a memorable overtime goal by Brad May at Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium, leading to Sabres' play-by-play announcer Rick Jeanneret's famous "May Day! May Day! May Day!" call.

Buffalo wins best-of-seven series 4–0

Adams Division Finals

Montreal vs. Buffalo

The long-awaited series between Patrick Roy and Grant Fuhr had finally arrived. The Canadiens swept the series, winning every game by a score of 4–3; three of the four the games in overtime.

Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4–0

Player statistics

Forwards

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

PlayerGPGAPtsPIM
84 53 95 148 63
77 76 51 127 40
81 16 80 96 52
Dave Andreychuk52 29 32 61 48
80 21 26 47 118
82 18 25 43 77
68 20 19 39 28
79 15 17 32 96
82 13 13 26 242
55 5 15 20 43
44 12 7 19 51
68 6 4 10 38
16 3 6 9 0
36 4 2 6 22
68 3 2 5 211
Bob Errey8 1 3 4 4
7 1 1 2 15
2 1 0 1 10
5 1 0 1 2
3 0 0 0 0
* - player was traded during season; stats only include games played with Buffalo

Defencemen

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

PlayerGPGAPtsPIM
81 9 45 54 87
80 4 27 31 59
40 2 24 26 59
63 8 14 22 30
50 2 14 16 45
60 3 8 11 221
Mike Ramsey33 2 8 10 20
35 2 7 9 83
15 3 5 8 6
30 2 4 6 55
18 0 4 4 14
10 0 1 1 6
* - player was traded during season; stats only include games played with Buffalo

Goaltending

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average

PlayerGPWLTSOGAA
28 11 10 4 0 3.15
29 11 15 2 0 3.47
Daren Puppa24 11 5 4 0 3.58
11 5 6 0 0 3.70
* - player was traded during season; stats only include games played with Buffalo

Awards and records

Transactions

References

  1. Web site: 1992-93 Buffalo Sabres Roster and Statistics.
  2. Web site: 1992-93 Buffalo Sabres Schedule and Results.