10 Years Ago Today

Ten years ago today (6/19/1999-6/19/2009) the Buffalo Sabres were in a battle of pure determination and endurance, also known as the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Their adversary? The Dallas Stars. The finals were set to be exhilarating. The Dallas Stars managed to beat Edmonton Oilers in round 1, St. Louis Blues in round 2, and finally the Colorado Avalanche in round 3. The Buffalo Sabres managed to beat Ottawa Senators (a huge rivalry) in round 1, the Boston Bruins in round 2, and then the Toronto Maple Leafs in round 3.

Buffalo took the first game of round 4 and the Stars fired back by taking the next two. In game 4, the Sabres outplayed their opponent and won the game. Game 5 brought another loss to the Sabres and the door to the Cup seemed to be closing. Game 6 became a must-win for the Sabres.

And an amazing game it was. Three regulation periods went by, 60 minutes, and the score was tied, 1-1. Another 20 minutes and the first overtime was over. The teams went out again, each determined to win, and both went back to their locker rooms with no winner. Yet.

It came at 14:51 of the third period. The Dallas Stars scored via Brett Hull. The crowd booed, for the game was being played in Buffalo, but it was also astonished. The goal should not have counted! Brett Hull had his foot in the goalie’s crease and back then, for today the rule has been changed, it was a huge error and usually resulted in a “No Goal”.

This is what happened: Mike Modano (Dallas) shot the puck at the Sabres net. Dominik Hasek made the initial save, but left a juicy rebound. Brett Hull went in and shot the rebound, but failed and another rebound pooped out. This time Hull capitalized on it. However, Brett Hull’s left skate was in the goalie’s crease before the puck. The big error in this is that the puck had to be the first thing on the attacking team inside the defending team’s crease. Hull’s left skate entered the crease first and then the puck went into the net. “No Goal” is the ruling.

Or, well, it should have been.

In the officiator’s opinion, Hull’s first shot and second shot, since his second shot was a rebound, counted as a single play. Since Hull’s skate was in the clear on the first shot the whole play was “OK”. The Sabres and the city of Buffalo cried out in anger and frustration. See, during the season, many goals were disallowed that looked exactly like Hull’s and yet….Hull gets away with it.

Ten years ago today the Buffalo Sabres were robbed of a fair goal. Had that goal not have counted, who knows? Maybe the Dallas Stars still would have won their first Stanley Cup. However, there does stand the possibility that the Sabres could have won theirs too.

So, why bring up old news? Simply because many Buffalo fans still feel and remember the dissappointment and frustration at seeing their team gipped of a good goal.

Happy Anniversary!