Sabres Classics: Mogilny hits 50 goals after blockbuster trade in 1993

Scoring 50 goals in 50 games is a rare feat in NHL history that, officially, has only been accomplished by five players. "Officially" is the key word there because the NHL only counts team games, not personal games.

Alexander Mogilny is an unofficial member of the "50 in 50" club and we'll look back at the moment when he reached the milestone on Wednesday's edition of "Sabres Classics." The game will re-air at 8 p.m. on MSG.

Back on Feb. 3, 1993, the Buffalo Sabres hosted the Hartford Whalers at The Aud in their 53rd game of the season. Mogilny had scored twice two games before to hit 49, but the NHL's goals leader missed the next game due to the flu.

Mogilny returned to the lineup against the Whalers and the team had a slightly different look.

Earlier that day, Sabres general manager Gerry Meehan acquired goaltender Grant Fuhr and a fifth-round pick in the 1995 NHL Draft from Toronto for Dave Andreychuk, Daren Puppa and Buffalo's first-round pick in 1993.

Mogilny didn't miss a beat in his 46th game of the year. With the game tied, he scored with 28 seconds remaining in regulation to lift the Sabres to a 3-2 victory and become a 50-goal scorer for the first time in his career.

Doug Bodger and Bob Sweeney had scored in the first period to give the Sabres a two-goal lead, but the Whalers battled back with a pair of goals in the second period. Fuhr made 26 saves to earn his first win as a member of the Sabres.

Buffalo entered the All-Star break with a record of 27-20-6.

Pat LaFontaine, who had 33 of his 53 goals at that time, assisted on Bodger's marker for his 93rd point. LaFontaine would go on to set the Sabres' single-season records with 95 assists and 148 points.

Mogilny would score a franchise-record 76 goals in 77 games that season to tie for the NHL lead. Winnipeg Jets rookie Teemu Selanne also scored 76, but did so in 84 games.