In the sunset season for the concrete cathedral so often overflowed with as many as 80,000 passionate patrons, WIVB News 4 Buffalo is taking a daily look back over 400 games played in the Orchard Park stadium’s 52 years. Jan. 1 1989 — Bills 17, Oilers 10 — The first postseason date in stadium history […]
In the sunset season for the concrete cathedral so often overflowed with as many as 80,000 passionate patrons, WIVB News 4 Buffalo is taking a daily look back over 400 games played in the Orchard Park stadium’s 52 years.
Jan. 1
1989 — Bills 17, Oilers 10 — The first postseason date in stadium history was also the first January game at One Bills Drive. A raucous Rich Stadium crowd of 79,532 watched Buffalo validate its breakout ’88 season with a divisional playoff victory after losing in that round on three previous postseasons (’74, ’80, ’81). Special teams played a key role as Steve Tasker blocked a punt, forced a fumble and recovered a muffed kickoff return, and Bruce Smith blocked a field goal. Buffalo’s Blizzard Defense, even without Pro Bowl linebacker Shane Conlan, stifled a Houston offense that had scored at least three touchdowns in 11 consecutive games. Smith and Darryl Talley had sacks, Cornelius Bennett forced a fumble and Mark Kelso intercepted Warren Moon, who passed for 240 yards with no touchdowns. Jim Kelly had 244 yards passing for the Bills, with Andre Reed gaining 91 yards receiving. Thurman Thomas rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, and Rob Riddick leapt for a 1-yard score. A season that set the stage for Super Bowl runs to come in the ‘90s ended the following week in Cincinnati with a loss in the AFC Championship game that indirectly influenced Buffalo’s adoption of a no-huddle offense a year later. But that’s a story for another day.
2008 — Penguins 2, Sabres 1 (SO) — The inaugural NHL Winter Classic attracted 71,217 hockey fans to Ralph Wilson Stadium on New Year’s Day. Another 11,000 showed up to HSBC Arena to watch the television broadcast of the first outdoor professional ice hockey game played in the United States, colloquially called the “Ice Bowl” around Western New York. Rink construction started on Christmas Eve after the Bills home finale, and the playing surface extended from one 16-yard line to the other. Both teams wore vintage sweaters in the winter wonderland, with game-time temperature near freezing and steady snow that got heavier in the third period. Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal in the shootout after assisting on Colby Armstrong’s goal for Pittsburgh in regulation. Ty Conklin made 36 saves for the Penguins, seven coming overtime when his team didn’t put a shot on goal. Brian Campbell scored for the Sabres and Ryan Miller made 24 saves.
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter.The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette.Read more of his work here.
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Category: General Sports
