1975 Stanley Cup Finals Game 6 vs Philadelphia Flyers

Lore & Background

The Sabres advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in team history to play against the Philadelphia Flyers, a series which included the legendary Fog Game (game three of the series). Due to unusual heat in Buffalo in May 1975 and the lack of air conditioning in the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, parts of the game were played in heavy fog that made players, officials, and the puck invisible to many spectators. During a face-off and through the fog, Sabres center Jim Lorentz spotted a bat flying across the rink, swung at it with his stick, killing it. It was the only time that any player killed an animal during an NHL game. The Sabres won that game thanks to Rene Robert's goal in overtime. However, Philadelphia would wind up taking the Stanley Cup in six games, winning the series 4–2.

In Their Own Story

The ice beneath their skates felt colder than usual, the arena lights blazing down like interrogation lamps on every player. Don Luce's voice was barely audible over the roar of the crowd as he signaled for a defensive shift. The puck was loose near the boards; a scramble ensued, bodies colliding with the sound of snapping sticks. In that split second of chaos, the dream of a Buffalo championship slipped away, replaced by the hollow silence of a locker room that would never forget.

Reader's Guide

The series ended in six games, with the Flyers winning 4–2. The source does not specify the score of Game 6.

Did You Know?

• The Sabres advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in team history in 1975.
• The Fog Game (Game 3) featured a bat killed by Sabres center Jim Lorentz.
• Rene Robert scored the overtime goal in Game 3.
• The Flyers won the series in six games.