OT: Anyone attended a game in Buffalo?

[hatterson]

I was going to say exactly this. Ive seen a Leafs play in Buffalo, and a Blackhawks game there as well. The home crowd was respectfull for both, and there was far more funny mockery back and forth than anything insulting.

As long as your not a tool, you wont be bothered by any Sabres fans.

Two things that always stand out to me about Buffalo fans: One, they are more often sports fans than simply homer fans. They seem to know alot about the league in general, and more than just the players/stories from their own team. And two, they seem to get down on their own team easily. I saw the Sabres play when they had cup hopes, and they still seemed to be easily deflated. May have something to do with the Bills 4 straight superbowl losses, but the local fans struck me as expecting a let down. The game I am talking about was actually like 6-1 win for Buffalo

Probably because pro sports only seems to exist in this town for the reason of getting your hopes up and then taking a giant dump on your face.

Once things start to turn a little it's safer to immediately jump to "the sky is falling" mode so that at least you were expecting the failure.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Have been going for nearly a decade now. Really good atmosphere with upwards of 60% Leaf fans. Blue-collared crowd who get into it. Arena itself looks a little drab with it being all blue, but the sightlines are good from pretty much everywhere.

I personally enjoy making a road trip out of seeing the Leafs than I do going to the ACC nowadays.

 

[couture23]

Buffalo is quite nice, you shouldn't have any problems. I'll be going to that game too (as a Sabres fan of course), but if you're going home the night of - the border will be ridiculous to cross after the game. I saw you mention you booked a place though so you don't have to do that regardless.

Enjoy the game.

 

[eddieO]

If you stay near the arena I remember there being a free tram/light rail to get to the game.

It's really a great place to watch a game. Check out Chippawa street afterwards. Bars are open till 4am.

 

[SH15]

Go for warmups. Go right to the glass in the Leafs end. You'll have a blast. Start a Go Leafs Go chant in warmups too.

About 5 years ago in the Leafs end of the ice in warmups it was about 5 rows deep in a horseshoe, jammed with people around the Leafs end. I was front row. The music stopped (for some reason) and it was oddly quiet. So I banged on the glass and started a GO LEAFS GO! chant. Within like 4 repeats it was ROCKING. Everyone was banging on the glass in unison and chanting. It was crazy loud in the building just from all of us in that end, and this was in warmups. It was amazing.

Be respectful, but be LOUD!

 

[CellarDweller0]

I've been twice and had a great time both times.

 

[Judas Tavares]

Going that night as well.

I saw the Leafs win 3-1 in 2004, I believe Kilger and Leetch scored. I saw the McCabe's own goal in 2007. So I've seen the good and the bad as a Leaf fan. Also saw the pens beat them in 2008, Crosby was hurt.

 

[Leaf_Crazy]

My desire to stay out of Barfalo far exceeds my desire to attend a Leaf game there.

Easy there cool guy.

Buffalo vs Leafs in Buffalo is the best atmosphere for a leaf game you will find.

 

[Cams]

I went once, back when Toronto had Mogilny, Belfour - and the Leafs actually won in Buffalo!!!! (3-1 maybe???)

Had great seats too. We stayed in N Falls, ON and drove there and then back after the game. Nice arena too, and we had no problems with any fans - we had lower bowl seats.

I'd do it again for sure, Windsor isn't that far.

 

[CellarDweller0]

Easy there cool guy.

Buffalo vs Leafs in Buffalo is the best atmosphere for a leaf game you will find.

You are 100% correct. The fans are great down there, I spontaneously partied with several groups of their fans throughout the game. Top notch atmosphere for sure.

 

[Levenah]

A Sabres fan spit in my buddy's face the last time he went to a Leafs/Sabres game in Buffalo.

So there's that..

Last time I went, the person behind me spilled beer all down the back of my jersey (on purpose, he was even laughing when I turned around). I wasn't impressed.

 

[bshaw]

Was at that game, came out with my ears ringing louder than had I attended a Metallica concert, Leafs fans literally made the building shake there was so much cheering when they tied, then won the game.

I was errrr..13 (?) at the time so barely remember....but I do remember being there and kaberle scoring

 

[themightyquinn]

That's what I don't get. The people in Buffalo and Detroit are awesome but the people in Montreal and Ottawa are just jerks.

Especially Montreal. They confuse "passion" with "knowledge". They think just because a Hab dives, the other team deserves a penalty and if they complain loud enough they can get the call - no matter how ridiculous and marginal the "penalty" might be.

People in Buffalo and Detroit know hockey and they support their team the proper way.

Enjoy the game. Buffalo is a lot of fun.

 

[blue82]

ill be there too, ive been to 3 other games in buffalo (1-2 record) you will have a blast, i am actually predicting one of the biggest leaf crowds ever in another arena, ive seen 50-50 splits but due to the leafs fast start and buffalo's horrible start im thinking we could snatch 70% of the building..it's going to be epic

 

[BooRadley]

I noticed some of you are staying at Adams Mark as well. It'll be my first time staying. How is it for those that have already been there? Any type of tips you can offer? How much you pay? I got my room for 105+tx for Nov 15.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Been to a few. Usually one of the locals drinks too much, tries to swing at Leafs fans, chaos ensues. Still a fun time though.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Just got my tixs for Nov 29 game. Gunna be my first leaf game in buffalo in 10ish years... Last game I went to.. If anyone remembers (dunno the year but we'll go about 10 years ago) was the one where leafs stormed back being down.. I wanna say 5-1 or 5-2 and kaberle with the ot winner for the 6-5 (I believe) victory!

Was at that game, came out with my ears ringing louder than had I attended a Metallica concert, Leafs fans literally made the building shake there was so much cheering when they tied, then won the game.

Just passing through, but whenever I'm at Florida-Buffalo tilts, the crowd has always been courteous. The man in my avatar was in net for the game you are referring to, which took place on March 15th 2004 http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2003021078

 

[Fabulous]

I'll be there the 15th as well, it will be my first time watching the Leafs in Buffalo.

 

[HP00]

From a Sabres fan point of view, there are lots of Leafs fans at every Sabres/Leafs game so you won't have to worry about being alone. As far as treatment from the home crowd, like any other fan base there are it's share of ass holes that will try to start something if they deem you cheering too much for the Leafs if...when they take a lead but they are honestly easy to ignore. i have gone to tons of Leafs/Sabres games and I have never had any problems (My season tickets when I had them were always behind the visiting bench) and I was able to have good times with Leafs fans, in all honestly the only fans that ever really made me annoyed with the general experience were Vancouver fans not long after the last Olympics. With the way the Sabres season has been going, you may just outnumber the Sabres fans lol. It will be close either way.

Traffic wise, It has always sucked getting out and due to the construction and Perry street being blocked off by the new building there will be people scattered everywhere. There are ways to avoid sitting in slow traffic for 30-60 minutes, a cheat i use is parking by a place called Swannies (170 Ohio Street) and there you can escape up/down South Park or anywhere and then proceed to wait on 190N a little earlier. Either way it is going to drag on but assuming your team wins it won't bug you too much. just don't park TOO close to the arena and you can get out quickly with a little speed walking to your car once the game is over.

 

[Cams]

I went once, back when Toronto had Mogilny, Belfour - and the Leafs actually won in Buffalo!!!! (3-1 maybe???)

Had great seats too. We stayed in N Falls, ON and drove there and then back after the game. Nice arena too, and we had no problems with any fans - we had lower bowl seats.

I'd do it again for sure, Windsor isn't that far.

So, I tried to look it up, and sure enough this was a Friday game - Nov 15 even!!!!! 3-2 Toronto was the final

 

[FlareKnight]

Been a while since I went down there. Mostly since I did it back in the days when the Buffalo curse was fully active and we couldn't win a game there to save our lives.

It was a pretty good experience overall. Great crowd, greasy pizza, just good times (aside from the score).

Think I stopped since it wasn't as cheap anymore. They kind of figured out after a while that Leaf fans will swarm the building so they might as well raise the prices for those premium games.

 

[Bigleaf]

I remember driving down in the mid to late eighties for a couple of nights with a couple of buddies and catching a game. We had a blast. I can't remember the hotel we stayed at but it was on the main street downtown and I remember we were at the hotel bar and the bartender would leave the bar area quite a bit and we'd reach over the bar and help ourselves filling up pitchers of draft beer.

I also remember we could not use our ATM cards at the US bank machines and so we had to drive back to the Ontario side in a blizzard (we did not see one car on the road, it was a whiteout) to get more cash.

The best part was after the game (Leafs lost and I don't remember the score), we asked a local where we could find a cool place for drinks and he suggested a place called Crawdaddys. We cabbed it over and about an hour later, half the Leaf team shows up. I remember Al Secord strolling in wearing a full length fur coat, Salming had a smoking hot blonde on his arm, Iafrate was sitting at the bar chain smoking. They got mobbed by the crowd and we had a blast shooting the sh^t with a few of them.

 

[TMLeafer]

Just passing through, but whenever I'm at Florida-Buffalo tilts, the crowd has always been courteous. The man in my avatar was in net for the game you are referring to, which took place on March 15th 2004 http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2003021078

It's strange how well I remember that game. Even recalled that the Leafs scored while Johansson was being interviewed .

 

[bshaw]

It's strange how well I remember that game. Even recalled that the Leafs scored while Johansson was being interviewed .

Beauty vid! Hell you'd think that game was in toronto

 

[Judas Tavares]

Wow I remember that game! I was in Key West for March break with my parents. When we left for dinner i saw on the ticker on ESPN it was 5-2 Sabres and I was depressed all dinner. I came back to see they won I was so happy. Btw I was 15 so that is why I was with my parents in Key West for those wondering...

That same trip ESPN showed the Leafs vs Flyers and I was so surprised the game was on that I didn't go to the dinner reservation with my parents, I stayed back and watched and had pizza. Without looking it up, I think it was 3-2 Flyers with Leetch scoring a goal or two.