Sabres Legends Shine Bright in 1978 NHL All-Star Game at the Aud

On January 24, 1978, the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium played host to the 31st NHL All-Star Game, marking the only time the Buffalo Sabres have hosted the league’s prestigious mid-season event. Representing the Sabres and the Wales Conference were local fan favorites Gilbert Perreault and Rick Martin, both iconic members of the legendary “French Connection” line.

With just under two minutes left in regulation, the Wales Conference found themselves trailing the Campbell Conference 2-1. But at 18:21, Rick Martin tied the game with a clutch goal, assisted by Marcel Dionne and Terry O'Reilly. This goal sent the game into uncharted territory: the first-ever sudden-death overtime in NHL All-Star Game history.

Buffalo fans erupted once more when, 3:55 into overtime, Gilbert Perreault netted the game-winner with assists from Steve Shutt and Borje Salming. The dramatic comeback gave the Wales Conference a 3-2 victory. Despite the thrilling finish, the game’s MVP honors went to Campbell Conference goaltender Billy Smith, who shut out the Wales team in the first half of the game. All three Wales goals came against second-half goalie Wayne Stephenson.

Perreault and Martin's standout performances on All-Star night were a highlight of a stellar 1977–78 season for the Buffalo Sabres. That year, the team finished second in the Adams Division with 105 points. They went on to defeat the New York Rangers in the preliminary playoff round before falling to the Philadelphia Flyers in the quarter-finals.

The 1978 NHL All-Star Game remains a cherished moment in Buffalo sports history, especially for the Sabres faithful who watched their hometown heroes shine on one of hockey’s biggest stages.

About Gilbert Perreault

Between 1970-71 and 1986-87, Gilbert Perreault played 1,191 regular season and 90 playoff games in the National Hockey League, all with the Buffalo Sabres. He was the first overall pick at the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft out of the Montreal Junior Canadiens and was the first ever draft pick of the Sabres.

Gil led the Sabres to the post season in nine consecutive years, reaching the Stanley Cup finals in 1974-75 before bowing out to the Philadelphia Flyers. He reached the 100 point plateau twice, topping out with a career best 113 in 1975-76.

The 1970-71 Calder Trophy winner was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. That same year, his jersey number 11 became the first to be retired by the Sabres. Perrreault was also the Lady Byng Trophy winner in 1972-73 and was named a Second Team All-Star twice.

About Rick Martin

Between 1971-72 and 1981-82, Rick Martin played 685 regular season and 63 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings. His time in L.A. consisted of just four regular season and a single post season game.

Like Perreault, he played his junior hockey with the Montreal Junior Canadiens and was a fifth overall pick at the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft. He was the first in Buffalo Sabres franchise history to score 50 goals in a season, totaling 52 in both 1973-74 and 1974-75.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Maple Leaf Gardens In Toronto

For nearly seventy years, Maple Leaf Gardens was the home of the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs. The arena, known in short as MLG, was also home to several other teams over the years in the sports of indoor soccer, lacrosse and basketball. Test and expand your hockey knowledge of Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens with the following four hockey trivia questions.

Q. Besides the Toronto Maple Leafs, what other professional hockey team called Maple Leaf Gardens home?

A. The Toronto Toros of the World Hockey Association called MLG home for the 1974-75 and 1975-76 season after played their first year at Varsity Arena. The Toros began as a WHA franchise in Ottawa and moved to Birmingham for the 1976-77 season.

Q. In what season did the Toronto Maple Leafs win the first Stanley Cup in their new home?

A. The Maple Leafs began play at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931-32. The team won the Stanley Cup that year with a final series victory over the New York Rangers. Toronto swept New York in the best of five series with the final game being played at MLG. Of the three games, only one was played in New York and Toronto each with the other played in Boston due to the Circus taking over Madison Square Garden in New York. Starring for Toronto that year were Busher Jackson, Joe Primeau and Charlie Conacher.

Q. What was the first NBA team to play home games at Maple Leaf Gardens?

A. The Buffalo Braves of the National Basketball Association played a total of 16 home games at MLG over four seasons between 1971 and 1975. The Braves are the predecessors of the current Los Angeles Clippers. The franchise played mainly out of the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium from 1970-71 to 1977-78. They then moved to San Diego where they took on the Clippers name for the first time. The franchise lasted in San Diego from 1978-79 until 1983-84 before moving north to Los Angeles.

The Toronto Raptors never called Maple Leafs Gardens home. The NBA franchise began play for the 1995-96 season and played home games at the SkyDome until the Air Canada Centre opened for the 1999-00 season.

Q. In what year did Maple Leaf Gardens host the first annual NHL All-Star Game?

A. In October of 1947, the first official NHL All-Star Game was played at MLG. 13 years earlier, in 1934, the first NHL All-Star game of any kind was played as a benefit for Ace Bailey. The 1947 game featured the defending Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs against an All-Star team from the other five teams in the league. The All-Stars came out on top 4-3 before a crowd of 14,169 with Doug Bentley scoring the winning goal in the third period, assisted by Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard and Milt Schmidt.