'To qualify for the post-season, the Sabres had to beat the Maple Leafs and hope that the woebegone Carolina Hurricanes could somehow upset the New York Islanders in a game that started at 7 p.m. in Raleigh. Fat chance. The Islanders had a 6-1 second-period lead by 8:25 p.m. — roughly 20 minutes after the Leafs and Sabres faced off…'.