Schedule and 2005-06 Results
Regular Season Records: Buffalo 52-24-6=110pts, Philadelphia 45-26-11=101pts
Game 1 on Saturday, 22 April: Philadelphia loses at Buffalo, 3-goals-2 (2OT)
Game 2 on Monday, 24 April: Philadelphia loses at Buffalo, 8-goals-2
Game 3 on Wednesday, 26 April: Buffalo loses at Philadelphia, 4-goals-2
Game 4 on Friday, 28 April: Buffalo loses at Philadelphia, 5-goals-4
Game 5 on Sunday, 30 April: Philadelphia loses at Buffalo, 3-goals-nil
Game 6 on Tuesday, 02 May: Buffalo wins at Philadelphia, 7-goals-1

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 6: The Buffalo Sabres visited and defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 7-goals-1 to win best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 960, 4-games-2. With the series 960 victory, the Buffalo Sabres improve their best-of-7 NHL playoff series mark to 12-21, while that for the Philadelphia Flyers falls to 31-25. The win order for the victorious Buffalo Sabres in series 960 was WWLLWW: Series 960 thus becomes the tenth NHL Preliminary-round series, the 30th NHL series (all rounds), and the 56th MLB/NBA/NHL series (all rounds) to follow this win order. In the last two playoff series in which the Buffalo Sabres eliminated the Philadelphia Flyers from the NHL playoffs, Buffalo in the elimination games has outscored Philadelphia 15-goals-1. In series 826 Game 6, the Sabres topped the Flyers 8-goals-nil to win their 2001 NHL Preliminary round series 4-games-2.

After Game 5: With best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 960 back in Buffalo for Game 5, the host Sabres shut out the Philadelphia Flyers 3-goals-nil to take a 3-games-2 series lead. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the Buffalo Sabres have a series record of 3-1, with the sole loss occurring in their last such series (series 832, vs. Pittsburgh, in the 2001 NHL Quarterfinals). When trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the Philadelphia Flyers have a series record of 1-11 with a seven-series losing streak.

After Game 4: The Philadelphia Flyers hosted and defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-goals-4 to even best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 960 at 2-games-all. When tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NHL playoff series, the Philadelphia Flyers have a series record of 13-5, while the Buffalo Sabres have a series record of 2-9 with a two-series losing streak.

After Game 3: With best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 960 shifting to Philadelphia for Games 3-4, the host Flyers defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4-goals-2, thereby reducing the Buffalo series lead to 2-games-1. When leading an NHL best-of-7 playoff series 2-games-1, the Buffalo Sabres have a 7-2 series record with a five-series winning streak. When trailing an NHL best-of-7 playoff series 2-games-1, the Philadelphia Flyers have a series record of 7-16.

After Game 2: The Buffalo Sabres hosted and defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 8-goals-2 to take a 2-games-nil lead in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 960. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-nil, the Buffalo Sabres have a 7-1 series record with a five-series winning streak. When trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-nil, the Philadelphia Flyers have a 2-9 series record. The eight goals by Buffalo are the most by a home team in an NHL playoff game since series 859 Game 2, in which the Colorado Avalanche hosted and defeated the San Jose Sharks 8-goals-2 in the 2002 NHL Quarterfinals (Western Conference Semifinals). Prior to that 2002 Colorado-San Jose game, the most goals scored by the home team in an NHL playoff game was again eight ... and again by Buffalo over no less than the Philadelphia Flyers in an 8-goals-nil series 826 (2001 NHL Preliminary round) Game 6 win that ousted the Flyers from the 2001 NHL playoffs.

After Game 1: At 7:31 into the second overtime of best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 960 Game 1, the Buffalo Sabres scored to defeat the visiting Philadelphia Flyers 3-goals-2, thus taking a 1-game-nil series 960 lead. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Buffalo Sabres have a series record of 10-8. When trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Philadelphia Flyers have a series record of 11-16.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2005-06 regular season, Buffalo finished nine points ahead of Philadelphia. From 1939 through the 2005 MLB Finals, when NHL teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by nine regular-season points, they have posted a 12-11 (.522) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 960 is the 56th best-of-7 playoff series for Philadelphia, and the 33rd for Buffalo. In best-of-7 playoff series, Philadelphia has a 31-24 series record, an 8-5 Prelim-round series record, and a 28-27 Game 1 record, while Buffalo has a 11-21 series record, a 5-8 Prelim-round record, and an 18-14 Game 1 record. Series 960 is the eighth best-of-7 meeting between Philadelphia and Buffalo; of the previous seven, Philadelphia has won five series, Buffalo two.