Buffalo Sabres: Reliving the 2007 Eastern Conference Semifinals
By Sion Fawkes
The 2007 Eastern Conference Semifinals marked the last time the Buffalo Sabres won a playoff series and it was also one of the most memorable
With the Toronto Maple Leafs losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers defeating the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, the Buffalo Sabres now have the second-longest drought without recording a playoff series win. And while the Sabres wore their forgettable ‘slug’ uniforms, they pulled off one of the more memorable series wins en route to the Eastern Conference Finals.
That series occurred in 2007 and it seems like eons ago. For the record, I was a sophomore in high school at the time. The iPhone was in its infancy and high-speed internet just made its way to my viewing area in rural Ohio. Yeah, it’s been a while since the Sabres last won a playoff series.
But if you remember that series correctly, it probably put you on the edge of your seat. One point decided the outcome in five of the six games, a series in which goaltender Ryan Miller played perhaps the best hockey of his life, allowing just 2.5 goals per game.
Overall, it was a memorable year for the Sabres, who won both the old Northeast Division and the Presidents’ Trophy. So while the current NHL playoffs roll on without the Sabres presence, let’s relive the days of old one more time.
I say one more time, because given the Sabres growth this past season, we may need to start talking about new memories sooner than later. And if you are a fan of the Buffalo Sabres, that would be quite the warm welcome considering the preceding decade of futility.