Sabres Classics: Buffalo clinches trip to 1999 Stanley Cup Final

With victories at home in Games 3 and 4, the Buffalo Sabres left for Game 5 of the 1999 Eastern Conference Final just one win away from a chance to play for the Stanley Cup.

Rob Ray wrote for Sabres.com that the trip north felt like a mere formality, that the Maple Leafs had nothing left to give. The news coverage of the day reflected that view.

Joe Lapointe reported for the New York Times following Game 4: "The Leafs, who played respectably in the first three games, performed terribly tonight, embarrassing themselves with unforced errors and unprovoked penalties."

The Sabres, meanwhile, were hardened from a loss to Washington in the Eastern Conference Final one year prior and determined not to face the same fate.

''We learned a valuable lesson last year," coach Lindy Ruff said after Game 4. "It sticks in our minds how disappointing it was. It was a pretty bitter defeat. I see more grit. I see more speed. I see more determination. We've had some periods now where the other team has said, 'Whoa!'"

Buffalo's conference-clinching effort in Game 5 will be featured as the latest "Sabres Classics" installment tonight on MSG at 8 p.m. (Spoilers below.)

The Maple Leafs and Sabres traded four goals during the second period, beginning with a power-play goal from Toronto's Steve Sullivan just 33 seconds in. Curtis Brown answered for Buffalo, followed by Kris King for Toronto. Vaclav Varada tied the score, 2-2, with 3:16 left in the period.

Erik Rasmussen buried a rebound to score the winning goal with 8:15 remaining in the period. Dixon Ward added an empty-net goal as insurance in what ended as a 4-2 win.

The win secured Buffalo's second trip to the Stanley Cup Final and first since falling to the Philadelphia Flyers in 1975. Captain Michael Peca opted not to touch the Prince of Wales Trophy, an act of superstition he reflected on while speaking with Rayzor last week.

"James Patrick made me promise him that I wasn't going to touch the trophy," Peca recalled. "Now, James has been around the game a lot longer than I have, so who am I to argue with James Patrick. So, I said, 'Why can't I touch it?' He goes, 'Oh no, you can't touch it, if you touch it it's bad luck.'

"Now, in retrospect, I wish I did touch it. I wish we all touched it. I mean, that was a huge accomplishment. I wish we celebrated. We deserved to. Superstition got the best of me, I guess."

The Sabres did get to celebrate on their bus ride home from Toronto, an unforgettable trip that Rayzor detailed Video: Curtis Brown talks '99 Playoffs with Martin Biron