The 1988–89 Buffalo Sabres season, the team's 19th season of existence, saw the Sabres finish in third place in the Adams Division with a record of 38 wins, 35 losses, and 7 ties for 83 points. They lost the Division Semifinals in five games to the Boston Bruins.
Regular season
Clint Malarchuk incident
On March 22, 1989, a horrific incident occurred during a game between the Sabres and the St. Louis Blues at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, when Buffalo goaltender Clint Malarchuk had his jugular vein severed by the skate blade of the Blues' Steve Tuttle during a goal mouth collision. According to reports, eleven fans in the stands fainted, two more had heart attacks, and three players vomited on the ice. The Sabres' training staff was immediately on the scene, and Malarchuk eventually needed 300 stitches to close the wound. Malarchuk spent only one night in the hospital before returning to practice four days later and was back on the ice within 10 days.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Schedule and results
|1||W||October 6, 1988||3–2 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1988–89) ||1–0–0
|2||L||October 8, 1988||2–6 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1988–89) ||1–1–0
|3||L||October 9, 1988||3–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1988–89) ||1–2–0
|4||W||October 12, 1988||8–5 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1988–89) ||2–2–0
|5||W||October 14, 1988||5–4 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1988–89) ||3–2–0
|6||L||October 16, 1988||3–5 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1988–89) ||3–3–0
|7||L||October 19, 1988||2–4 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1988–89) ||3–4–0
|8||W||October 21, 1988||5–3 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1988–89) ||4–4–0
|9||L||October 22, 1988||3–4 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1988–89) ||4–5–0
|10||W||October 25, 1988||7–4 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1988–89) ||5–5–0
|11||L||October 26, 1988||1–7 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1988–89) ||5–6–0
|12||T||October 29, 1988||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1988–89) ||5–6–1
|13||T||October 30, 1988||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Boston Bruins (1988–89) ||5–6–2
|14||W||November 2, 1988||6–4 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1988–89) ||6–6–2
|15||L||November 4, 1988||3–7 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1988–89) ||6–7–2
|16||L||November 5, 1988||0–9 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1988–89) ||6–8–2
|17||W||November 9, 1988||3–2 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1988–89) ||7–8–2
|18||W||November 12, 1988||3–0 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1988–89) ||8–8–2
|19||L||November 13, 1988||4–5 OT|| align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1988–89) ||8–9–2
|20||L||November 16, 1988||2–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1988–89) ||8–10–2
|21||L||November 19, 1988||4–5 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1988–89) ||8–11–2
|22||L||November 22, 1988||2–4 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1988–89) ||8–12–2
|23||W||November 25, 1988||5–4 OT|| align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks (1988–89) ||9–12–2
|24||W||November 27, 1988||7–3 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1988–89) ||10–12–2
|25||W||November 30, 1988||6–2 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1988–89) ||11–12–2
|26||L||December 2, 1988||1–6 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1988–89) ||11–13–2
|27||L||December 3, 1988||2–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1988–89) ||11–14–2
|28||L||December 6, 1988||0–9 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1988–89) ||11–15–2
|29||W||December 8, 1988||4–2 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1988–89) ||12–15–2
|30||L||December 11, 1988||4–6 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1988–89) ||12–16–2
|31||L||December 14, 1988||3–4 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1988–89) ||12–17–2
|32||T||December 15, 1988||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1988–89) ||12–17–3
|33||T||December 19, 1988||5–5 OT|| align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1988–89) ||12–17–4
|34||W||December 21, 1988||5–2 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1988–89) ||13–17–4
|35||W||December 23, 1988||5–2 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1988–89) ||14–17–4
|36||W||December 26, 1988||2–1 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1988–89) ||15–17–4
|37||W||December 28, 1988||4–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1988–89) ||16–17–4
|38||L||December 30, 1988||3–5 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1988–89) ||16–18–4
|39||L||December 31, 1988||2–3 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1988–89) ||16–19–4
|40||L||January 4, 1989||4–5 OT|| align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1988–89) ||16–20–4
|41||L||January 6, 1989||4–5 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1988–89) ||16–21–4
|42||W||January 7, 1989||6–1 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1988–89) ||17–21–4
|43||W||January 12, 1989||6–5 || align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks (1988–89) ||18–21–4
|44||T||January 14, 1989||1–1 OT|| align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1988–89) ||18–21–5
|45||W||January 15, 1989||3–2 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1988–89) ||19–21–5
|46||T||January 18, 1989||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1988–89) ||19–21–6
|47||W||January 21, 1989||6–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1988–89) ||20–21–6
|48||W||January 22, 1989||6–4 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1988–89) ||21–21–6
|49||W||January 25, 1989||6–3 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1988–89) ||22–21–6
|50||W||January 27, 1989||4–2 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1988–89) ||23–21–6
|51||L||January 28, 1989||1–2 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1988–89) ||23–22–6
|52||W||January 31, 1989||5–3 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1988–89) ||24–22–6
|53||L||February 2, 1989||3–7 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1988–89) ||24–23–6
|54||L||February 4, 1989||3–5 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1988–89) ||24–24–6
|55||L||February 9, 1989||2–5 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1988–89) ||24–25–6
|56||L||February 10, 1989||4–5 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1988–89) ||24–26–6
|57||W||February 12, 1989||5–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1988–89) ||25–26–6
|58||L||February 14, 1989||3–7 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1988–89) ||25–27–6
|59||W||February 15, 1989||5–3 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1988–89) ||26–27–6
|60||W||February 17, 1989||5–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1988–89) ||27–27–6
|61||W||February 19, 1989||8–4 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1988–89) ||28–27–6
|62||W||February 22, 1989||7–5 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1988–89) ||29–27–6
|63||W||February 24, 1989||5–4 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1988–89) ||30–27–6
|64||L||February 25, 1989||1–6 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1988–89) ||30–28–6
|65||L||March 1, 1989||4–5 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1988–89) ||30–29–6
|66||L||March 4, 1989||2–6 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1988–89) ||30–30–6
|67||L||March 5, 1989||2–8 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1988–89) ||30–31–6
|68||W||March 8, 1989||2–0 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1988–89) ||31–31–6
|69||T||March 11, 1989||6–6 OT|| align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1988–89) ||31–31–7
|70||W||March 12, 1989||3–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1988–89) ||32–31–7
|71||W||March 16, 1989||6–1 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1988–89) ||33–31–7
|72||L||March 18, 1989||0–3 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1988–89) ||33–32–7
|73||W||March 20, 1989||4–1 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1988–89) ||34–32–7
|74||L||March 22, 1989||1–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1988–89) ||34–33–7
|75||W||March 24, 1989||5–2 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1988–89) ||35–33–7
|76||L||March 25, 1989||1–4 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1988–89) ||35–34–7
|77||W||March 28, 1989||4–2 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1988–89) ||36–34–7
|78||L||March 30, 1989||2–4 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1988–89) ||36–35–7
|79||W||April 1, 1989||4–3 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1988–89) ||37–35–7
|80||W||April 2, 1989||4–2 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1988–89) ||38–35–7
Legend:
Playoffs
Division semifinals 1989 Stanley Cup playoffs Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins Date Away Score Home Score NotesApril 5 Buffalo Sabres 6 Boston Bruins 0 April 6 Buffalo Sabres 3 Boston Bruins 5 April 8 Boston Bruins 4 Buffalo Sabres 2 April 9 Boston Bruins 3 Buffalo Sabres 2 April 11 Buffalo Sabres 1 Boston Bruins 4 Boston wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 1
Player statistics
Forwards Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes Player GP G A Pts PIM Pierre Turgeon 80 34 54 88 26 Christian Ruuttu 67 14 46 60 98 Dave Andreychuk 56 28 24 52 40 Mike Foligno 75 27 22 49 156 Benoit Hogue 69 14 30 44 120 John Tucker 60 13 31 44 31 Ray Sheppard 67 22 21 43 15 Scott Arniel 80 18 23 41 46 Rick Vaive 28 19 13 32 64 Mark Napier 66 11 17 28 33 Kevin Maguire 60 8 10 18 241 Jeff Parker 57 9 9 18 82 Adam Creighton 24 7 10 17 44 Mike Hartman 70 8 9 17 316 Mike Donnelly 22 4 6 10 10 Ken Priestlay 15 2 0 2 2 Scott Metcalfe 9 1 1 2 13 Jan Ludvig 13 0 2 2 39 Mikael Andersson 14 0 1 1 4 Trent Kaese 1 0 0 0 0 Darrin Shannon 3 0 0 0 0
Defensemen Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes Player GP G A Pts PIM Phil Housley 72 26 44 70 47 Doug Bodger 61 7 40 47 52 Uwe Krupp 70 5 13 18 55 Lindy Ruff 63 6 11 17 86 Mike Ramsey 56 2 14 16 84 Calle Johansson 47 2 11 13 33 Shawn Anderson 33 2 10 12 18 Grant Ledyard 13 1 5 6 8 Joe Reekie 15 1 3 4 26 Larry Playfair 42 0 3 3 110 Richie Dunn 4 0 1 1 2 Bob Halkidis 16 0 1 1 66 Mark Ferner 2 0 0 0 2 Brad Miller 7 0 0 0 6 Steve Smith 3 0 0 0 0
Goaltending Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average Player GP W L T SO GAA Daren Puppa 37 17 10 6 1 3.36 Jacques Cloutier 36 15 14 0 0 3.63 Clint Malarchuk 7 3 1 1 1 2.39 Tom Barrasso 10 2 7 0 0 4.95 Darcy Wakaluk 6 1 3 0 0 4.21 Darren Eliot 2 0 0 0 0 6.27 1988-89 Buffalo Sabres at Hockey Reference Draft picks Buffalo's draft picks at the 1988 NHL entry draft held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal.
Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)113Joel SavageVictoria Cougars (WHL)355Darcy LoewenSpokane Chiefs (WHL)476Keith CarneyMount Saint Charles Academy (USHS-RI)589Alexander MogilnyCSKA Moscow (USSR)597Rob RayCornwall Royals (OHL)6106David DiVitaLake Superior State University (CCHA)6118Mike McLaughlinChoate Rosemary Hall (USHS-CT)7139Mike GriffithOttawa 67's (OHL)8160Dan RuohoJames Madison Memorial High School (USHS-WI)9181Wade FlahertyVictoria Cougars (WHL)11223Tom NiemanChoate Rosemary Hall (USHS-CT)12244Bobby WallworkMiami University (CCHA)S18Clark DaviesFerris State University (CCHA)
References