1947-48 Buffalo Sabres

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The National Hockey League has decided to expand by one team for the 1947-48 season. Buffalo, New York, with a 12,000+ seat arena has been picked as the seventh team for the league.

In the AHL the Bisons have been one of the winningest teams. Buffalo got the nod over Cleveland due to a larger arena than the Ohio city, which has about a 10,000 seat arena.

Buffalo, being right in the middle of the league footprint, will slot right in with the Midwest and East Coast squads with train rides. The Toronto Maple Leafs will be the closest rival of the new Buffalo Sabres.

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After the team was formed on July 1, the Buffalo Sabres have signed their first two players, in Goalie Johnny Bower, and Center Ernie Trigg. Both players are from Canada, and look to be young sparks that can carry the Sabres along in their first expansion year.

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Over 15 players have signed to the Sabres organization in the month of July, as it has become a hard job for Ben Adams, the GM and head coach of the Sabres. The other 6 NHL teams decided there would be no expansion draft from the teams, meaning the Sabres would have to sign their entire team on their own.

The most prominent signing has probably been Bobby Bauer, who many thought was retiring from the Bruins after the 46-47 season. Instead, he is staying in the league playing on the Sabres. In 46-47 he scored 30 goals on the season. He has also won 3 Lady Byng Trophies as the most gentlemanly player in the league.

Ben Adams, who hails from Morgantown, West Virginia, and graduated from West Virginia University, not a Canadian like most people in hockey, is hoping to carve a new path. Adams has spent some time in Canada in his playing and coaching career. After moving to Canada, he also served in the Canadian Army for a time during WWII.

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The three captains have been named for the Buffalo Sabres. They are Clint Smith, who scored 26 goals for the Blackhawks 2 seasons ago and is the main captain, and Babe Pratt/Sweeney Schriner as alternates.

The Sabres first preseason game will be held at Chicago Stadium September 20 as they face the Chicago Black Hawks. Most expect the Sabres to be one of the worst teams in NHL history as they have had to cobble together talent from the minors, former NHL castoffs, and foreign players in order to fill a roster.

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The Buffalo Sabres began their first National Hockey League preseason with five games before the regular season opener on October 4.

The Sabres began their preseason in Chicago.

9/20: CHI 5, BUF 2; Goals- CHI: Brown, Bentley, Kaleta, Conacher, Mosienko (ENG); BUF: Bauer, Oberg; A- 11,402. Buffalo scores the first goal in the 2nd and 3rd periods, but cannot sustain constant Black Hawk pressure.

9/23: BOS 4, BUF 0; Goals- BOS: Carveth, Dumart, Henderson, Peirson; A- 6,087

A tough 3rd period for Buffalo in their first home game, as Boston was held to 1 goal in the first two periods before a 3 goal 3rd period outburst.

9/25: NYR 6, BUF 4; Goals- BUF: Kaiser, Cunliffe, Bauer (2), Brown; NYR: Kullman, Moe, Laprade, Warwick (3); A- 11,479

The Sabres led for several minutes during this game, but could not handle constant Ranger pressur at Madison Square Garden, with Grant Warwick earning a hat trick.

9/26: MON 1, BUF 1; Goals- BUF: Schriner; MON: Lach; A- 9,763

Buffalo gets their first point in preseason with a tie at the Montreal Forum. Montreal had 3 shots during the 1 minute 3 on 3 OT, but could not get one into the net.

9/28: MON 3, BUF 2; Goals- BUF: Bauer (3), Schriner (2), MON: Fillion, Peters, Maurice Richard (3); A- 6,243

Another valiant effort by the Sabres, leading 2-0 after a period, but the Canadiens surged with 3 goals in the final two periods, with Rocket Richard's goal with 5:04 left providing the winning margin.

The Sabres open up their first season in the NHL with 3 home games, October 4, 5 and 7. Chicago is first up Saturday night.

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The Sabres open up their first NHL season with 3 tough home games in 4 nights, against the Black Hawks, Canadiens and Red Wings. The Sabres have signed a local radio deal with WBNY radio, to air all home games and games in Toronto, and Buffalo’s four other AM stations will air selected games.

10/4: BUF 3, CHI 2; Goals- CHI: Max Bentley 2; BUF: Brown, Grosso, Stanley; A- 7,924

A crowd of almost 8,000 watches the Sabres shock the hockey world winning their first game as an expansion team, even as they are outshot 48-15. Harold Brown scores the first goal in team history at 8:31 of the 1st period.

10/5: MON 5, BUF 2; Goals- MON: Lach, Quilty (2), Peters, Blake, M. Richard; BUF- Gray, Brown (2); A- 7,392

Another valiant effort by the Sabres, scoring first from Dick Gary, but Montreal recovers and scores 5 of the final 6 goals to earn the victory in the Memorial Auditorium.

10/7: DET 6, BUF 3; Goals- DET: Abel, Guidolin (2), McFadden 2 (3), Howe (2), Lundy (1); BUF: Schriner 2 (2), Bauer (1); A- 6,735

The Sabres score two quick goals in the 1st just 12 seconds apart from Sweeney Schriner to earn a 2-0 lead, but only one more after that. This is a tight defensive game with only 33 shots and 8 hits.

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Buffalo continues their first season in the NHL with a game at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto on Saturday night, with the whole country listening via the CBC and Foster Hewitt.

10/11: BUF 5, TOR 2; Goals- BUF: Pratt, Bauer (2), DeMarco, Bauer (3, SH), Grosso (2); TOR: Poile (4), Stewart (2); A- 14,529

Buffalo shocks the Leafs with a 3 goal 2nd period, and eventually wins by 3 goals, sending Toronto to 1-4-0 on the season. The Toronto crowd is shocked and a few even start to boo at the end.

10/12: CHI 3, BUF 1; Goals- CHI: Gadsby 2, Bentley (5, ENG), BUF: Oberg (1); A- 7,779

A tough loss for the Sabres after the previous night's victory, with the Black Hawks scoring twice in the first 15 minutes and never looking back.

10/16: TOR 2, BUF 2; Goals- TOR: Meeker (3), Kennedy (4), BUF: Oberg (2), Cunliffe (1); A- 9,075

The Sabres continue to play well against the Maple Leafs, tying Toronto in front of the largest crowd of the season so far, over 9,000. Several hundred of the fans came from Toronto, as it is easier to drive 3 hours or so to Buffalo and get tickets at the Aud.

6 games in and the Sabres are 2-3-1, with G Jean Marois leading the league in save percentage.

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The Sabres are on a long train trip through the Midwest. That is how teams traveled during this time, all the way up until the late 1960s when the NHL expanded in real life.

10/17: BOS 7, BUF 0; Goals- BOS: Smith 2 (5, PP), Gallinger 2 (4), Dumart (5), Schmidt (3), Henderson (2); A- 12,638

The Sabres get completely dominated at Boston Garden, allowing 58 shots on goal and trailing 6-0 after 2 periods. Johnny Bower finnishes the game out (Marois started) or it could have been double digits.

10/19: DET 4, BUF 2; Goals- DET: McFadden (5), Stewart (2), Conacher (4), Couture (3, EN); BUF- Oberg (3), Cunliffe (2); A- 13,004

A brutal loss at Olympia Stadium, as Buffalo leads 2-0 after two periods, but allows 4 goals in the 3rd period, leading until there was 1:24 left when the Red Wings scored twice in 10 seconds.

10/20: DET 4, BUF 1; Goals- DET: Abel (4), Couture (4), Lundy (2), Horeck (1, EN); BUF: Bauer (4); A- 12,100

Another difficult loss, with the Sabres getting outshot again 48-20, including just 3 in the 3rd period.

Even after all this, Buffalo is just 2 points behind the 4th spot (Toronto) with 7 points. Montreal, Boston and Detroit have already gotten 15, 15 and 14 each. It looks like the battle will be for 4th right now.

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The Sabres continued their road trip with a trip to Madison Square Garden.

10/22: NYR 4, BUF 1; Goals- NYR: Russell (2), Leswick (4, SH), Raleigh (2), Eddolls (2), BUF: Brown (3); A- 14,506

The Rangers outshoot the Sabres 45-18, and earn 3 quick goals in succession in the 2nd period, leading to a three-goal victory.

10/24: TOR 4, BUF 0; Goals- TOR: Bodnar (4), Ezinicki (4), Meeker (4), Kennedy (6); A- 9,521

The Maple Leafs limit the Sabres to an insanely low 4 shots on goal for the entire game, as the biggest crowd of the season attends at the Aud.

10/28: BUF 6, MON 4; Goals- BUF: Riley 3 (3), Carnegie 2 (2), Cunliffe (3); MON: Riopelle (1, 2 PP), Peters (7), Locas (3); A- 6,896

The Sabres get their first win over the Montreal Canadiens, as Jack Riley completes the first hat trick in team history, starting with two quick goals in one minute of the first period, and one with 1:35 in the 2nd. Herb Carnegie adds two goals also.

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The Sabres started with a game at the Boston Garden before coming back home.

10/29: BOS 3, BUF 0; Goals- Babando (3, PP), Peirson (6), Smith (9, EN); A- 12,016

Another shutout at the Boston Garden, with two goals in the final two seconds of the 2nd and 3rd being the killers for the Sabres on this night.

11/1: BOS 3, BUF 0; Goals- Smith (10), Van (1), Peirson (7); A- 7,752

A shutout at the Aud as the Bruins get two goals in the first four minutes of the game and Buffalo cannot recover, only getting 13 shots on goal.

11/4: DET 2, BUF 1; Goals- DET: Podolsky (1), Howe (8); BUF: Oberg (4); A- 7,804

Buffalo gets off the schneid in the 3rd period with a goal from Oberg, but two early goals cancel it out, and the Sabres lose again to fall to 3-11-1 on the year.

They have been competitive in most of their games, but have been shut out 4 times in their first 15 games, and scored 1 in 4 others.

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Sabres continue their November stretch with two road games sandwiched around a Montreal home game.

11/6: TOR 5, BUF 2; Goals- TOR: Bodnar (6), Poile (14 PP), Stewart (7), Meeker 2 (6, EN); BUF: Smith (1), Oberg (5); A- 14,188

Getting outshot 50-10 is not gonna win you many games, and the Sabres did exactly that here.

11/7: MON 3, BUF 1; Goals- MON: Locas (6), Reardon (2, PP), M. Richard (8); BUF: Cunliffe (4); A- 8,307

An insanely low total of 21 shots for the game, 12 for Montreal and 9 for Buffalo. Having such an anemic offensive team is definitely showing the later you get this year.

11/11: BOS 4, BUF 1; Goals- BOS: Egan (3), McGill (1), Carveth (9, EN), Wilson (1, EN); BUF: Smith (2, SH); A- 12,652

Two empty net goals in the final minute help camoflauge what was a close game.

Buffalo is 3-14-1 with 7 points, now 15 behind the 4th place Red Wings.

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The Sabres continue their first season in the NHL trying to find their way.

11/13: NYR 5, BUF 2; Goals- NYR: Raleigh (10), Lamirande (1, SH), Gardner (1), Warwick (5), Kullman (3, EN); BUF: Brown (4), Cunliffe (5); A- 6,603

The Sabres score first, but cannot hold it, as the Rangers score 3 straight 2nd period goals to get the edge in this game.

11/15: DET 3, BUF 1; Goals- DET: Dewsbury (2), Abel (8), McCaig (2), BUF: Oberg (6, PP); A- 13,215

A close game for the Sabres, but Buffalo, who has the worst offense in the league, averaging 1.8 goals per game, cannot break through and lose again.

11/16: CHI 5, BUF 4; Goals- CHI: Bentley 2 (13), Gee (8), Mosienko (15), Hamill (4, PP); BUF: Smith (3), Strain (1), Carnegie (3), Cunliffe (6); A- 13,947

The Sabres play one of their best offensive games of the year, scoring 4 goals at Chicago Stadium, but cannot battle enough for a win with the Black Hawks scoring once in the 3rd period for the victory.

The Buffalo Sabres are 3-17-1, and are still stuck on 7 points in the standings.

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The Sabres continued their first season with a shocking win over a venerable Original Six team.

11/18: BUF 4, MON 0; Goals- BUF: Stanley (2), Bedogni 2 (2), Bauer (5); A- 11,742

The Sabres incredibly shut out the Canadiens inside the Montreal Forum, with Jean Marois stopping all 30 shots from Montreal.

11/20: TOR 7, BUF 2; Goals- TOR: Ezinicki 2 (12), Poile 2 (20), Mortson (1), Barilko (6), Bodnar (8); BUF: Oberg (7), Riley (4); A- 13,758

Allowing 4 goals in the 1st was the fatal blow for Buffalo here. They were also outshot 57-16.

11/21: MON 3, BUF 1; Goals- MON: Quilty (8), Chamberlain 2 (5); BUF: Cunliffe (7, PP); A- 7,288

The Sabres score first in the first period, but cannot hold on, losing their 19th game of the season in 24.

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The Sabres moved on with their road trip with games at Montreal and Chicago.

11/23: BUF 3, MON 1; BUF: Brown (5), Albright (1), Cunliffe (8); MON: Harvey (4); A- 10,777

Another victory at the Montreal Forum, their 2nd in less than a week. Three goals in the 2nd period provided the final margin.

11/24: CHI 4, BUF 1; CHI: Prystai (4), Hamilton (4), Kaleta (5, SH), Bentley (14); BUF: Oberg (8); A- 14,594

With the long train ride from Montreal to Chicago, not much energy was left for the Sabres on this night, only mustering 15 shots on goal.

11/27: BUF 7, TOR 4; BUF: Oberg 4 (12), Riley 2 (6), Stanley (3); TOR: Poile (21, PP), Meeker (9), Barilko (7), Stanowski (2); A- 9,117

Buffalo shocks the Maple Leafs, ending a 17 game unbeaten streak in front of a large crowd at the Aud on Thanksgiving night.

The record is now 6-20-1 for 13 points.

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The Buffalo Sabres have gone through difficult times as an expansion club this year. They win a game in Montreal then go on another long losing streak. The same followed up a win against the Maple Leafs.

11/28: CHI 3, BUF 1; CHI: Gee (11), Nattrass (2), Mariucci (2), BUF: Carnegie (4); A- 15,394

Sabres lose with two 3rd period goals, allowing 47 shots on goal for the game.

12/1: NYR 4, BUF 3; NYR: Warwick (7), Colville (2), Hextall (4), Laprade (10); BUF: Carnegie (5), Bauer (6), Grosso (3, PP); A- 6,810

A tough one goal loss as Buffalo couldn't get the tying goal in the 3rd after cutting it to one with 11:41 left.

12/2: BUF 4, DET 4; DET: Couture (9), Kelly (8, PP), Guidolin (12), Quackenbush (6); BUF: Cunliffe (9), Dawe (1, PP), Oberg (13), Stanley (4); A- 7,254

The Sabres come back from a 4-1 3rd period deficit to tie the contest, earning a standing ovation from the crowd at Memorial Auditorium.

12/6: MON 2, BUF 0; MON: Blake (8, PP), Maurice Richard (18, EN); A- 12,179

A tough loss in the Forum as Buffalo holds Montreal scoreless until there were 18 seconds left in the 2nd period, even though they were outshot 43-19.

12/7: NYR 6, BUF 2; NYR: Watson (10), Dickens (1, PP), Russell (3), O'Connor 3 (6); BUF: Smith (4), Cunliffe (10); A- 6,937

Buddy O'Connor's hat trick stems off a Buffalo charge, with 3 goals in an incredible 1:20 of play in the 2nd period.

12/9: TOR 6, BUF 3; TOR: Kennedy (12), Ezinicki (13), Bodnar (9), Apps 3 (8), BUF: Buchanan (1), Brown (6), Cunliffe (11); A- 8,962

The Sabres give up another hat trick, this time by Syl Apps, and spread over two periods instead of a much shorter time.

Buffalo is 6-25-2 at the midpoint of the year with 14 points. The 6th place Rangers have 28, and Boston is the closest playoff team at 34 points.