Sabres Classics: Woolley's OT goal in Game 1 of 1999 Stanley Cup Final

For the first time since 1975, the Buffalo Sabres found themselves back in the Stanley Cup Final. They had a tough matchup ahead of them in 1999 against a tough Dallas Stars team.

While Buffalo had dispatched Ottawa, Boston and Toronto on their way to the championship round, Dallas had eliminated Edmonton, St. Louis and Colorado. The Stars finished the regular season first in the Pacific Division with 114 points, giving them home ice advantage against Buffalo.

So the Stanley Cup Final began in Dallas on June 8, 1999. The game will be featured on Thursday's episode of "Sabres Classics" at 8 p.m. on MSG and the MSG Go app.

Dallas' lineup included six players who would go on to be Hockey Hall of Famers in Mike Modano, Joe Nieuwendyk, Brett Hull, Sergei Zubov, Guy Carbonneau and goaltender Ed Belfour.

Entering the series, Nieuwendyk led the Stars in scoring with 18 points, followed by Modano with 16. Buffalo was led by Jason Woolley with 13 points. Alexei Zhitnik, Curtis Brown and captain Michael Peca were tied for second with 12.

The series proved to be a tightly played affair right off the bat. Game 1 had to be decided in overtime.

Dallas opened the scoring with a power-play goal from Hull and then the Sabres took the lead in the third period thanks to goals from Stu Barnes and Wayne Primeau. Jere Lehtinen tied things up with 49 seconds left in regulation.

Dominik Hasek was sharp between the pipes for Buffalo, making 35 saves before Woolley jumped into the play to find the back of the net with 4:30 remaining in the extra period.

"Those are my instincts, to jump and create and find holes and create offense," Woolley said when looking back at the goal with Martin Biron on an episode of Tablet Talk. "…If I don't take that chance, maybe we don't close it out."

Woolley will be one of several alumni joining a live Sabres Watch Party starting at 9 p.m. Wednesday on the Sabres official Facebook page where they'll look back at the 1999 playoff run and other great memories they had as teammates.