April 22nd, 2006 was one to remember in the history of the Buffalo Sabres. After three losing seasons by the Sabres and a year-long lockout, HSBC Arena finally hosted an NHL playoff game.
18,690 fans sold out the building in downtown Buffalo to see the Sabres take on the Philadelphia Flyers in the first game of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
They would get the much-anticipated playoff game they waited four years for, and plenty more.
Just over five minutes into the first period, Tim Connolly would score the first playoff goal of his career. Despite that the Flyers won a faceoff in their zone courtesy of Mike Richards, Connolly eventually found the puck and threw a backhand into the net past goaltender Robert Esche, without even an assist from one of his teammates.
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