BUFFALO – Seven more Sabres contests were erased with the NHL’s sixth round of game cancellations today. With all games through Jan. 14 canceled, 42 Sabres tilts – 51.2 percent of their 82-game schedule – have been axed 96 days into the lockout.
The league has now canceled 625 games, a shocking 50.8 percent of the season.
Sadly, the next set of cancellations could be the biggest – the rest of the season.
While no drop-dead date has been set, mid-January would probably be the latest the NHL could start a 48-game schedule.
The league’s 48-game slate following the 1994-95 lockout began Jan. 20, nine days after the stoppage ended, and stretched to May 3 with a schedule featuring only conference opponents.
The NHL had last canceled games Dec. 10.
Sabres games canceled today:
Dec. 31 vs. Ottawa
Jan. 3 vs. Florida
Jan. 5 vs. Tampa Bay
Jan. 8 at New York Rangers
Jan. 9 vs. Boston
Jan. 11 at Ottawa
Jan. 13 at Chicago