Boston Bruins
Some say the Maple Leafs are the Buffalo Sabres biggest rivals. But many others will point to the Boston Bruins. This is one of those strange rivalries that saw few incidents during the Sabres formative years, but has gained steam over the past 30. Not that the earlier days were not without incident.
One major moment occurred on December 13th, 1972, when Jim Schoenfeld crashed into Wayne Cashman as the latter pursued the puck. The two fell through the doors, sparking a massive brawl.
Of course, when you play in the same division, you are going to meet often in the playoffs. The Sabres and Bruins are no exception, having played against one another eight times, with the Sabres holding a 2-6 record. However, one of the most famous calls in NHL history came in a playoff sweep over the Bruins in 1993, which of course, was the May Day Goal.
And finally, we cannot end this section without mentioning the infamous Lucic-Miller incident on November 12th, 2011. Miller ventured outside the crease when Milan Lucic lost control of the puck. Just as Miller looked as though he were about to take control, Lucic nailed him, resulting in a concussion for the Sabres goaltender.
The incident did not warrant a suspension on Lucic. But he would receive a one-game ban after an illegal check on Zac Rinaldo of the Philadelphia Flyers.