Hartford Whalers at Buffalo Sabres

Thursday, December 26, 1996, 7:30 PM ET Marine Midland Arena, Buffalo Regular Season Final

Final score

The Buffalo Sabres beat the Hartford Whalers 5–1 on Thursday, December 26, 1996 at home.

Final score, Hartford Whalers at Buffalo Sabres
Team	Goals	1996-1997 record
Hartford Whalers	1	32-39-11
at Buffalo Sabres	5	40-30-12

Goals by period, Hartford Whalers at Buffalo Sabres
Team	1st period	2nd period	3rd period	Total
Hartford Whalers	0	1	0	1
Buffalo Sabres	3	2	0	5

Shots on goal by period, Hartford Whalers at Buffalo Sabres
Team	1st period	2nd period	3rd period	Total
Hartford Whalers	13	6	8	27
Buffalo Sabres	5	9	7	21

Scoring summary

Every goal, Hartford Whalers at Buffalo Sabres. Numbers in brackets are season totals.
Period	Time	Team	Goal	Assists	Type	Score
1st	00:54	Buffalo Sabres	Dixon Ward (6)	Brian Holzinger (15), Donald Audette (9)	Even strength	HFD 0, BUF 1
1st	08:20	Buffalo Sabres	Anatoli Semenov (2)	Matthew Barnaby (12), Michal Grosek (11)	Even strength	HFD 0, BUF 2
1st	15:24	Buffalo Sabres	Michael Peca (7)	Randy Burridge (13), Jason Dawe (12)	Even strength	HFD 0, BUF 3
2nd	05:02	Buffalo Sabres	Derek Plante (17)	Matthew Barnaby (13), Michal Grosek (12)	Even strength	HFD 0, BUF 4
2nd	05:44	Buffalo Sabres	Donald Audette (12)	Dixon Ward (15), Bob Boughner (4)	Even strength	HFD 0, BUF 5
2nd	15:58	Hartford Whalers	Paul Ranheim (6)	Steve Martins (1), Curtis Leschyshyn (11)	Even strength	HFD 1, BUF 5

Numbers in brackets are the player's season totals after the goal.

Hartford Whalers skaters
Player	Position	Goals	Assists	Points	Plus/minus	Penalty minutes	Shots on goal
Number 8 G. Sanderson	L	0	0	0	-1	2	2
Number 11 K. Dineen	R	0	0	0	-1	2	2
Number 12 S. Rice	R	0	0	0	-2	0	1
Number 16 N. Emerson	R	0	0	0	-2	0	3
Number 17 H. Domenichelli	L	0	0	0	0	0	0
Number 18 R. Kron	C	0	0	0	-1	0	2
Number 21 A. Cassels	C	0	0	0	-1	0	2
Number 22 M. Janssens	C	0	0	0	-1	2	2
Number 26 S. Martins	C	0	1	1	0	0	1
Number 28 P. Ranheim	L	1	0	1	0	0	3
Number 32 S. Grimson	L	0	0	0	-1	2	2
Number 92 J. O'Neill	C	0	0	0	-2	0	4
Number 5 A. Godynyuk	D	0	0	0	-2	0	0
Number 6 A. Burt	D	0	0	0	-3	2	0
Number 7 C. Leschyshyn	D	0	1	1	0	0	2
Number 14 K. Haller	D	0	0	0	-1	0	0
Number 20 G. Wesley	D	0	0	0	-1	0	1
Number 23 M. Malik	D	0	0	0	-1	0	0

Hartford Whalers goalies
Goalie	Shots against	Saves	Goals against	Save percentage	Time on ice	Decision
Number 29 J. Muzzatti	5	2	3	.400	15:24	Loss
Number 47 J. Giguere	16	14	2	.875	44:36

Buffalo Sabres skaters
Player	Position	Goals	Assists	Points	Plus/minus	Penalty minutes	Shots on goal
Number 12 R. Burridge	L	0	1	1	+1	0	3
Number 15 D. Ward	L	1	1	2	+2	0	1
Number 17 J. Dawe	R	0	1	1	+1	0	1
Number 18 M. Grosek	L	0	2	2	+2	0	0
Number 19 B. Holzinger	C	0	1	1	+2	2	0
Number 26 D. Plante	C	1	0	1	0	0	2
Number 27 M. Peca	C	1	0	1	+1	2	4
Number 28 D. Audette	R	1	1	2	+2	0	1
Number 32 R. Ray	R	0	0	0	0	0	0
Number 36 M. Barnaby	R	0	2	2	+1	0	2
Number 38 B. Moore	L	0	0	0	0	0	2
Number 93 A. Semenov	C	1	0	1	+1	0	1
Number 3 G. Galley	D	0	0	0	+1	0	0
Number 4 M. Wilson	D	0	0	0	+2	0	0
Number 6 R. Boughner	D	0	1	1	+1	0	0
Number 8 D. Shannon	D	0	0	0	+2	0	0
Number 42 R. Smehlik	D	0	0	0	+1	2	2
Number 44 A. Zhitnik	D	0	0	0	0	2	2

Buffalo Sabres goalies
Goalie	Shots against	Saves	Goals against	Save percentage	Time on ice	Decision
Number 39 D. Hasek	27	26	1	.963	60:00	Win

Penalties, Hartford Whalers at Buffalo Sabres
Period	Time	Team	Player	Infraction	Minutes
1st	12:08	Hartford Whalers	Adam Burt	Holding obstruction	2
1st	15:48	Buffalo Sabres	Brian Holzinger	Hooking	2
1st	19:04	Buffalo Sabres	Michael Peca	Interference	2
2nd	13:54	Buffalo Sabres	Alexei Zhitnik	Tripping	2
2nd	18:01	Hartford Whalers	Geoff Sanderson	Tripping obstruction	2
3rd	03:49	Hartford Whalers	Stu Grimson	Roughing	2
3rd	06:25	Hartford Whalers	Mark Janssens	Unsportsmanlike conduct	2
3rd	14:42	Buffalo Sabres	Richard Smehlik	Hooking	2
3rd	19:05	Hartford Whalers	Kevin Dineen	High sticking	2

Hartford Whalers head coach: Paul Maurice
Buffalo Sabres head coach: Ted Nolan
Referees: Stephen Walkom
Linesmen: Ray Scapinello, Tim Nowak
Hartford Whalers scratches: Jeff Brown, Sean Burke, Kelly Chase, Jeff Daniels, Gerald Diduck, Glen Featherstone, Brian Glynn, Keith Primeau, Kent Manderville, Jason McBain, Kevin Brown, Manny Legace, Nolan Pratt, Sami Kapanen
Buffalo Sabres scratches: Charlie Huddy, Pat LaFontaine, Brad May, Ed Ronan, Andrei Trefilov, Ruman Ndur, Wayne Primeau, Curtis Brown, Vaclav Varada, Craig Millar, Jay McKee

Every Hartford Whalers and Buffalo Sabres game in the 1996-1997 season
Matchup	Status	Details
Hartford Whalers 3 at Buffalo Sabres 6	Final	Game page: Hartford Whalers at Buffalo Sabres, Sat, Oct 26, 1996
Buffalo Sabres 3 at Hartford Whalers 4	Final/OT	Game page: Buffalo Sabres at Hartford Whalers, Sat, Nov 9, 1996
Buffalo Sabres 4 at Hartford Whalers 6	Final	Game page: Buffalo Sabres at Hartford Whalers, Sat, Dec 7, 1996
Hartford Whalers 1 at Buffalo Sabres 5	Final	Game page: Hartford Whalers at Buffalo Sabres, Thu, Dec 26, 1996
Hartford Whalers 5 at Buffalo Sabres 1	Final	Game page: Hartford Whalers at Buffalo Sabres, Sat, Jan 25, 1997
Buffalo Sabres 2 at Hartford Whalers 4	Final	Game page: Buffalo Sabres at Hartford Whalers, Mon, Apr 7, 1997

Other NHL games on Thursday, December 26, 1996
Matchup	Status	Details
Montreal Canadiens 3 at Pittsburgh Penguins 3	Final/OT	Game page: Montreal Canadiens at Pittsburgh Penguins, Thu, Dec 26, 1996
New York Rangers 2 at Ottawa Senators 5	Final	Game page: New York Rangers at Ottawa Senators, Thu, Dec 26, 1996
New Jersey Devils 1 at New York Islanders 4	Final	Game page: New Jersey Devils at New York Islanders, Thu, Dec 26, 1996
Florida Panthers 3 at Tampa Bay Lightning 3	Final/OT	Game page: Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning, Thu, Dec 26, 1996
Washington Capitals 4 at Detroit Red Wings 5	Final/OT	Game page: Washington Capitals at Detroit Red Wings, Thu, Dec 26, 1996
St. Louis Blues 4 at Chicago Blackhawks 4	Final/OT	Game page: St. Louis Blues at Chicago Blackhawks, Thu, Dec 26, 1996
Vancouver Canucks 1 at San Jose Sharks 6	Final	Game page: Vancouver Canucks at San Jose Sharks, Thu, Dec 26, 1996
Phoenix Coyotes 2 at Los Angeles Kings 5	Final	Game page: Phoenix Coyotes at Los Angeles Kings, Thu, Dec 26, 1996