⚡ Away Lightning 11-15-3 before this game

3–5

Final

Scoring	1st	2nd	3rd	F
TBL	0	2	1	3
BUF	2	1	2	5

Lightning at Sabres

Sabres beat Lightning 5–3 at KeyBank Center on December 18, 1996.

🗓 Wed, Dec 18, 1996 · 18:30 CST 📍 KeyBank Center, Buffalo 🏒 1996-97 🔁 Sabres lead the season series 2–1 Head-to-head history →

⭐ Three stars

Best games by the box score

1st star ⚔️ BUF

Derek Plante

2 G

3 shots · +2

2nd star ⚔️ BUF

Michal Grosek

2 A

1 shots · +3

3rd star ⚔️ BUF

Mike Wilson

2 A

1 shots · +1

🚨 Scoring

8 goals · in order

1st period

⚔️ Derek Plante Go-ahead 1st · 09:42

Assists: Michal Grosek, Mike Wilson

0–1

⚔️ Dixon Ward 1st · 16:27

Assists: Anatoli Semenov, Rob Ray

0–2

2nd period

⚔️ Jason Dawe 2nd · 03:33

Assists: Alexei Zhitnik

0–3

⚡ Roman Hamrlik 2nd · 07:32

Assists: Brian Bradley, Brantt Myhres

1–3

⚡ Dino Ciccarelli 2nd · 12:01

Assists: Daymond Langkow

2–3

3rd period

⚔️ Derek Plante 3rd · 01:38

Assists: Mike Wilson, Michal Grosek

2–4

⚡ Drew Bannister 3rd · 15:10

Assists: Chris Gratton, John Cullen

3–4

⚔️ Matthew Barnaby Empty net 3rd · 19:05

Assists: Dominik Hasek

3–5

📊 Team stats

Away left · home right

⚡TBL BUF⚔️

32 Shots on goal 25

4 Penalty minutes 6

TBL shooting 9.4% (3/32) BUF shooting 20.0% (5/25)

🥅 Goaltending

Saves, shots faced and save percentage

⚡Lightning

Rick Tabaracci

0/4

.000 SV% · 4 GA · 59:55 TOI

⚔️Sabres

Dominik Hasek

0/3

.000 SV% · 3 GA · 59:58 TOI

🔮 Period by period

After 1st — 0–2

Lightning

Lightning: no games found in this situation this year.

Sabres

Sabres: no games found in this situation this year.

After 2nd — 2–3

Lightning

Lightning: no games found in this situation this year.

Sabres

Sabres: no games found in this situation this year.

⚔️ Last meetings

Sabres lead the season series 2–1 Full head-to-head →

❓ TBL vs BUF, answered

Who won Lightning vs Sabres on December 18, 1996?

Sabres won 5–3.

What was the final score of Lightning vs Sabres?

The final score was Lightning 3, Sabres 5.

Who scored for Lightning?

Dino Ciccarelli, Drew Bannister, Roman Hamrlik.

Who scored for Sabres?

Derek Plante (2), Dixon Ward, Jason Dawe, Matthew Barnaby.

How did the Lightning goalie play?

Rick Tabaracci made 0 saves on 4 shots (.000 save percentage).

How did the Sabres goalie play?

Dominik Hasek made 0 saves on 3 shots (.000 save percentage).

Where is Lightning vs Sabres played?

At KeyBank Center in Buffalo, the Sabres home rink.

What is the Lightning vs Sabres season series?

Sabres lead the season series 2–1 after 3 games.

Have a different question? Ask the Oracle — it answers from this season's box scores.

🧭 Around this game

Each team's schedule either side of it

⚡Lightning

Previous game · Dec 16

⚔️Sabres

Previous game · Dec 14

Also on December 18, 1996

Lightning season page Sabres season page Head-to-head record Full NHL schedule