Post-season heroes come in all forms, from the star player to the unknown fourth-liner. We all know the exploits of the great playoff performers. However, we hardly hear about the unlikely playoff heroes. These unlikely post-season stars can contribute in many ways. Contributions could be for an entire playoff run, a series, a game or even a goal. These unlikely heroes have made big plays that no one expects. This series takes a closer look at the unsung heroes of each team. These are the unlikely Buffalo Sabres playoff heroes.
Buffalo Sabres Playoff Heroes
Brad May
Before The Moment
Brad May, selected 14th overall in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, is a name known by any Sabres fan worth their salt. May was a solid depth scoring threat for the Sabres. However, where May really made a name for himself was in the Sabres 1993 playoff run. The Sabres, who made consistent playoff appearances in the 1980s, never seemed to have the finishing power they needed to continue. For over a decade, the Sabres failed to clinch a single playoff series until the emergence of Brad May in 1993.
The Moment
Mayday! Mayday! Brad May’s iconic goal that clinched the Sabres’ first playoff series victory in over a decade was a shot heard around the world. From Pat LaFontaine‘s pass to Rick Jeanneret’s one-of-a-kind call, May’s goal was a spark that started a fire of what could be with the Buffalo Sabres. In Game 4 of the Adams Division Semifinals, the Sabres came back from a 5-2 deficit against the Boston Bruins to take it to overtime.
Just four minutes and forty-eight seconds into overtime, the prayers of Sabres fans were answered. May’s shot, which came right between Hall-of-Famer Ray Bourque‘s legs, scored the game-winning goal that sent the Sabres to the second round after spending nearly ten years without a playoff series win.
Unfortunately, the hope that May brought to the fans was quickly extinguished in the second round of the playoffs. The Sabres lost every game to Montreal. As three of the four games heading to overtime. Injuries to Pat LaFontaine and Alexander Mogilny saw the team’s offence stymied as they struggled to stay afloat against a stacked Montreal squad.
The Aftermath
May remained a solid depth option for the Sabres. However, he found himself traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 1998, just five years after his game-changing goal. He continued his career between the Vancouver Canucks, the Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, the Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Detroit Red Wings before announcing his retirement at the end of the 2009-10 season.
May ended his career with 289 points in 1,041 games. His goal in the 1993 playoffs is regarded as one of the best-called goals in all of sports history. Nowadays, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Sabres fan that doesn’t know the name of Brad May.
Steve Shields
Before the Moment
Dominik Hasek was and still is widely considered one of the greatest goaltenders of all time. During the 1996-1997 season, he completed an MVP-worthy campaign as the league’s best goaltender. Unfortunately, an injury in the middle of Game 3 of the first round Hasek’s playoffs got cut short. The Sabres had to go to rookie goaltender Steve Shields. Which makes Shields the ideal candidate to be an ulikely Buffalo Sabres playoff hero.
The Moment
Luckily for the Sabres, Shields came prepared. In his first few games in net, he helped the Sabres topple the Senators, allowing them to advance to the second round. Hasek remained sidelined for the second round, forcing Shields to start again as Hasek suffered a suspension for an altercation with a reporter. Shields ended his remarkable playoff run with a .922 save percentage and a 2.74 GAA. Not bad for a rookie.
After the Moment
Sadly, Shields’ dominant play wasn’t enough to stave off the Philadelphia Flyers, who knocked the Sabres out of contention in five games. Eventually, Shields was traded to the San Jose Sharks. There he played in 67 games and brought the Sharks to the second round of the playoffs. Even though Shields was never able to get a taste of the Stanley Cup, his remarkable feat as a rookie goaltender makes him a notable hero in the annals of the Sabres.
Vaclav Varada
Before the Moment
Vaclav Varada was never known for his scoring. Typically deployed as a pest, Varada spent the first few years of his career on a checking role, agitating his opposition to open up scoring opportunities. The Sabres, who were backstopped by the legendary Dominik Hasek, were poised to make a big splash in the playoffs of the 1990s. With a slew of high-scoring players at their disposal, all they needed were a few depth players to make a difference n the playoffs.
The Moment
Varada’s breakout came during the playoff runs of 1998 and 1999, where Varada played all 36 games. During that time, he matched his career regular-season assist total, managing 16 points in both years. He was an integral piece in the Sabres 1999 Stanley Cup run, providing the perfect amount of depth scoring.
After the Moment
The 1999 Stanley Cup finale was marred by controversy due to Brett Hull‘s questionable series-clinching goal. Despite an outstanding showing from Dominik Hasek, the Sabres fell in six games in to the Dallas Stars. However, since going to the Stanley Cup Final in 1999, the Sabres have yet to get back there. Varada played four more seasons with the Sabres before being traded to Ottawa Senators. He finished out his NHL career there before moving to the Czech leagues at age 30.
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