(Stanley Cup Champion 1975)

The 1975 Stanley Cup Finals featured the first-ever matchup between two expansion teams, the Philadelphia Flyers (1967) and the Buffalo Sabres (1970). The Flyers won the series in six games capturing their second consecutive Stanley Cup. The Flyers roster was the last Stanley Cup champion roster to be comprised of all Canadian-born players.

The Flyers were led by captain Bobby Clarke, Reggie Leach, and Bill Barber. While the Buffalo Sabres were captained by Jim Schoenfeld and led by the French Connection line that featured Rick Martin, Rene Robert, and Gilbert Perreault.

The Flyers reached the final that year by defeating the Chicago Black Hawks 4-1 and the Montreal Canadians 4-2. The Sabres advanced to the finals by defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0 and the New York Islanders 4-3.

It was the only Stanley Cup final from 1965-1979 to not include either the Boston Bruins or the Montreal Canadians.

Game Three the Fog and the Bat

Game three of the series was a memorable one. The game was played on May 20, 1975, at the Auditorium in Buffalo, New York, the Sabres were down 2-0 in the series and were desperate to get back in the series with a win in the friendly confines of the Aud.

What unfolded turned out to be one of the most surreal games in NHL history. It had been a hot, humid evening in Buffalo, with temperatures near 90 degrees at ice level. By game time, the temperature was 75 degrees with a 62% humidity level and rising, combine that with no air-conditioning inside of Memorial Auditorium, and the stage was set for the infamous fog game. In the warm-up, the fog had slowly begun to build, but as the players skated around the ice, they didn’t give it much thought.

Once the first period got underway, the fog began to grow thicker. It became increasingly difficult to see the puck and to make the night even stranger; a bat came out of nowhere and began diving at the players. Sabre’s right-winger Jim Lorentz swatted the bat down with his stick just before a first-period face-off, ending the winged creature’s attacks. This was seen as a bad omen by many of the 15,863 fans in attendance.

The real problem for the Sabres was that after only 3:09 of the first period, they were down 2-0 and 3-2 by the end of the first period and 4-3 at the end of the second period. The game was interrupted five times during regulation to dissipate the fog. Players’ bodies were almost entirely blotted out by the ghostly fog, making it impossible for players and fans to track the play.

Finally, mid-way through the third period, Sabres defenseman Bill Hajt scored to tie the game at 4-4, sending the teams to an extra session. Seven times during the overtime, officials stopped the play in an attempt to dissipate the fog. Arena crews skated out onto the ice with wet bedsheets in a futile effort to lift the fog. Goalies were making saves they couldn’t see as players would shoot the puck, and it would just hit them before they became aware of the shot.

Despite the eerie conditions, neither team could score until Rene Robert finally potted the winner late in the first overtime period at 18:29, sealing the win for the Buffalo Sabres.

“I saw Robert’s shot too late for me to come out and stop it,” Parent said. “I’m surprised the overtime took so long. It was hard to see the puck from the red line. If three men came down and one made a good pass from the red line, you couldn’t see the puck. A good shot from the red line could have won it.”

Series box score

May 15	Buffalo Sabres		1–4		Philadelphia Flyers	The Spectrum	Recap	show

May 18	Buffalo Sabres		1–2		Philadelphia Flyers	The Spectrum	Recap	show

May 20	Philadelphia Flyers		4–5	OT	Buffalo Sabres	The Aud	Recap	show

May 22	Philadelphia Flyers		2–4		Buffalo Sabres	The Aud	Recap	show

May 25	Buffalo Sabres		1–5		Philadelphia Flyers	The Spectrum	Recap	show

May 27	Philadelphia Flyers		2–0		Buffalo Sabres	The Aud	Recap	show

Philadelphia won series 4–2

Philadelphia Flyers

Team rosters

#	Nat	Player	Pos	S/G	Age	Acquired	Birthplace
1		Bernie Parent	G	L	30	1973	Montreal, Quebec
2		Ed Van Impe	D	L	35	1967	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
3		Tom Bladon	D	R	22	1972	Edmonton, Alberta
5		Larry Goodenough	D	R	22	1973	Toronto, Ontario
6		Andre Dupont	D	L	25	1972	Trois-Rivières, Quebec
7		Bill Barber	LW	L	22	1972	Callander, Ontario
8		Dave Schultz	LW	L	25	1969	Waldheim, Saskatchewan
9		Bob Kelly	LW	L	24	1970	Oakville, Ontario
10		Bill Clement	C	L	24	1970	Buckingham, Quebec
11		Don Saleski	RW	R	25	1972	Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
12		Gary Dornhoefer (A)	RW	R	32	1967	Kitchener, Ontario
14		Joe Watson (A)	D	L	31	1967	Smithers, British Columbia
15		Terry Crisp (A)	C	L	31	1973	Parry Sound, Ontario
16		Bobby Clarke (C)	C	L	25	1969	Flin Flon, Manitoba
18		Ross Lonsberry	LW	L	28	1972	Watson, Saskatchewan
19		Rick MacLeish	C	L	25	1971	Cannington, Ontario
20		Jim Watson	D	L	22	1972	Smithers, British Columbia
25		Ted Harris	D	L	38	1974	Winnipeg, Manitoba
26		Orest Kindrachuk	C	L	24	1972	Nanton, Alberta
27		Reggie Leach	RW	R	25	1974	Riverton, Manitoba
30		Bobby Taylor	G	R	30	1968	Calgary, Alberta
35		Wayne Stephenson	G	L	30	1974	Fort William, Ontario

Buffalo Sabres

1		Roger Crozier	G	R	33	1970	Bracebridge, Ontario
3		Paul McIntosh	D	R	21	1974	Listowel, Ontario
4		Jerry Korab	D	L	26	1973	Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
5		Lee Fogolin Jr.	D	R	20	1974	Chicago, Illinois
6		Jim Schoenfeld (C)	D	L	22	1972	Galt, Ontario
7		Rick Martin	W	L	23	1971	LaSalle, Quebec
8		Jim Lorentz	C	L	28	1972	Waterloo, Ontario
9		Rick Dudley	LW	L	26	1972	Toronto, Ontario
10		Craig Ramsay	LW	L	24	1971	Weston, Ontario
11		Gilbert Perreault	C	L	24	1970	Victoriaville, Quebec
14		Rene Robert	RW	R	26	1972	Trois Rivieres, Quebec
15		Michel Deziel	LW	L	21	1974	Sorel, Quebec
16		Peter McNab	C	L	23	1972	Vancouver, British Columbia
17		Fred Stanfield	LW	L	31	1975	Toronto, Ontario
18		Danny Gare	RW	R	21	1974	Nelson, British Columbia
20		Don Luce	C	L	26	1971	London, Ontario
21		Brian Spencer	LW	L	25	1974	Fort St. James, British Columbia
22		Jocelyn Guevremont	D	R	24	1974	Montreal, Quebec
23		Larry Carriere	D	L	23	1972	Montreal, Quebec
24		Bill Hajt	D	L	23	1971	Radisson, Saskatchewan
29		Gary Bromley	G	L	25	1971	Edmonton, Alberta
30		Gerry Desjardins

Keep Your Stick on the Ice.

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