Sabres defeated Red Army 6-1 at Memorial Auditorium this day 43 years ago
The Soviet Red Army squad (CSKA), which consisted of about half of the roster of the 1980 Olympic club that lost to Team USA the following month, played a number of NHL clubs leading up to the games in Lake Placid. The Sabres dominated the Soviets 6-1 at Memorial Auditorium.
Written by Dick Johnston for the Hockey News issue January 11, 1980
Just like old times. That must be the way Danny Gare feels these days.
The feisty captain of the Buffalo Sabres is putting the puck into the net the way he used to before he had back troubles. As he did the year he scored 50 goals. That was in 1975-76, his second season in the National Hockey League.
Since then the rugged little right winger has had a variety of physical problems, mostly in his back.
But this year the back feels fine, Danny feels strong again and he is on target. With those quick wrist shots, with those strong slap shots, with little nudges from in front of the net, even with long backhand pushes into an empty net.
Going into the Sabres’ exhibition game against the Central Red Army Team, Gare had nine goals and three assists in his last six games.
When the Sabres trounced the Red Army club, 6-1, all Danny did was score two goals and set up a third. Eleven goals and four assists, 15 points, in seven games.
Afterward, in the dressing room, Gare said, “I’ve been feeling really good. Confident. Strong. Healthy.
“Our line has been really playing well lately. We have been moving the puck, keeping on top of their (the opposition’s) defensemen, jumping for the opening.”
The next game, a 5-4 victory ovr the Pittsburgh Penguins, Gare finally was shut out. Not a single point. But his linemates, Derek Smith and Tony McKegney, each scored a goal.
That gave the line 14 of Buffalo’s 29 goals in the team’s last seven league games, 17 of 35, and a total of 32 points in eight games, including the win over the Soviets.
The victory over the Russian team was Buffalo’s second in the games played against teams from the USSR. Both times, the Sabres won by the biggest margin of any NHL club against the touring Russian teams.
In 1976, Buffalo defeated the Wings of the Soviets, 12-6.
This year, Gare got the Sabres off in front with a wrist shot from the right boards at the 8:20 mark. Luce made it 2-0 with a shorthanded goal. The Soviets got back into the game with a goal during a delayed penalty at 8:12 of the third period.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBn5ysAK62Y[/embed]
The penalty was on Gare, who felt that it should have been the other way around. He had been tripped before a Soviet player fell over his stick.
Getting the puck after the ensuing faceoff, Gare muscled his way into the Red Army zone and let go a shot with a defender hanging on him. The shot resulted in a goal by Smith 20 seconds after the Soviet goal and then the Sabres broke the game open.
Gare made the score 4-1 with an unassisted goal when he blocked a pass in the Red Army end.
The game before, a 6-2 win over Winnipeg, Danny registered the first Buffalo hat trick of the season. His third goal of the game came with 13 seconds remaining.
Last season Gare scored 27 goals. He missed nine games and played hurt in several others. His back was bothering him and he also had ankle problems. Then, at the end of the season, he suffered a severe case of mononucleosis.
The illness may have been a blessing in disguise. Danny went home to Nelson, B.C., to recuperate and got a good rest. When he reported to training camp his back felt better than it had in three years. He still does stretching exercises each day but so far he hasn’t had any trouble. And he certainly has had his eye on the net.
LATEST THN BUFFALO STORIES
Takeaways From Split Against Columbus And Ottawa