The 1992–93 Buffalo Sabres season was the Sabres' 23rd season in the National Hockey League. Three Buffalo players scored at least 20 power-play goals each (Dave Andreychuk, Pat LaFontaine and Alexander Mogilny).[1] Mogilny led all skaters in hat tricks during the regular season with 7, and Buffalo tied the Pittsburgh Penguins for most hat tricks scored by a team, with 10. The Sabres stumbled into the 1993 NHL Playoffs, losing their final 7 regular-season games.[2]
Buffalo's draft picks at the 1992 NHL Entry Draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec.
LaFontaine exploded offensively in the 1992–93 season with a personal-best and team-record 148 points (53 goals and 95 assists). The 148 points are also the most points ever scored by an American-born player in one season. His play-making ability enabled his linemate, Alexander Mogilny to set a team season record with 76 goals, (both LaFontaine's 95 assists and Mogilny's 76 goals still stand as the Sabres' team records). LaFontaine finished as runner-up to Mario Lemieux in the scoring race and earned a spot on the postseason NHL All-Star Second Team. He was also a finalist for the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP and the Lady Byng Trophy as the most sportsmanlike player.
During the 1993 playoffs, LaFontaine engineered another great moment: in spite of playing with a damaged knee, as well as having fallen onto the ice, he still managed to set up Brad May's overtime, series-clinching goal against the Boston Bruins.
[3]Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.
p – Won Presidents' Trophy (and division)
Divisions: PTK – Patrick, ADM – Adams
bold – Qualified for playoffs
Buffalo's four-game sweep of the Bruins ended with a memorable overtime goal by Brad May at Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium, leading to Sabres' play-by-play announcer Rick Jeanneret's famous "May Day! May Day! May Day!" call.
Buffalo wins best-of-seven series 4–0
The long-awaited series between Patrick Roy and Grant Fuhr had finally arrived. The Canadiens swept the series, winning every game by a score of 4–3; three of the four the games in overtime.
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4–0
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
* - player was traded during season; stats only include games played with Buffalo
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
* - player was traded during season; stats only include games played with Buffalo
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
* - player was traded during season; stats only include games played with Buffalo