Editing Buffalo Sabres (section)

====New owners and return to the Finals====
During the [[1997–98 NHL season|1997–98 season]], the Sabres, which had lost $32&nbsp;million over the previous three seasons and nearly missed payroll in December 1997, were sold by Northrop Knox to [[John Rigas]], owner of [[Adelphia Communications]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/12/22/knox-family-to-sell-sabres/b63a5bab-778a-4ec5-9392-8285d291dbd0/|title=Knox family to sell Sabres|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=December 22, 1997|accessdate=August 24, 2022}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, Quinn was dismissed and replaced by John's son, Timothy Rigas.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2002/07/29/This-Weeks-Issue/Rigas-Charges-Dont-Mention-The-Sabres/|title=Rigas charges don't mention the Sabres|last=Bernstein|first=Andy|magazine=Sports Business Journal|date=July 28, 2002|accessdate=March 24, 2025}}</ref> The Sabres reached the conference finals that season, but lost to the [[Washington Capitals]] in six games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/capitals-put-sabres-away-in-ot/|title=Capitals Put Sabres Away In OT|publisher=CBS Interactive Inc.|date=June 4, 1998|website=CBSNews.com|accessdate=March 24, 2025}}</ref>

[[File:Full House at Buffalo's Former Marine Midland Arena for Buffalo Sabres Hockey, 1999.jpg|left|thumb|The Sabres playing a game during the [[1998–99 NHL season|1998–99 season]]. The Sabres were later crowned the Eastern Conference champions following the [[1999 Stanley Cup playoffs]].]]
In the [[1998–99 NHL season|1998–99 season]], [[Miroslav Šatan|Miroslav Satan]] scored 40 goals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/satan-scores-40th-in-sabres-win/|title=Satan Scores 40th In Sabres Win|publisher=CBS Interactive Inc.|date=April 18, 1999|website=CBSNews.com|accessdate=March 24, 2025}}</ref> The Sabres would add centers [[Stu Barnes]] from the Pittsburgh Penguins and [[Joé Juneau|Joe Juneau]] from the Capitals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-looking-back-on-the-sabres-1998-99-season-25-years-later|title=Looking back on the Sabres' 1998-99 season 25 years later|last=Kardaman|first=Katelyn|publisher=NHL Enterprises, L. P.|date=June 7, 2024|website=NHL.com|accessdate=March 24, 2025}}</ref> The team returned to the [[1999 Stanley Cup Finals|Stanley Cup Finals]], this time against the [[Presidents' Trophy]]-winning [[Dallas Stars]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/2020/07/07/sabres-rolled-past-leafs-advance-1999-stanley-cup-finals/3251631001/|title=Maiorana's Memories: Sabres rolled past the Leafs to advance to the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals|last=Maiorana|first=Sal|newspaper=Democrat & Chronicle|date=July 7, 2020|accessdate=March 24, 2025}}</ref> In game six, [[Brett Hull]]'s triple-overtime goal ended the series, and the Stars were awarded the Cup. In 1999, it was illegal to score a goal if an offensive player's skate entered the crease before the puck did. However, NHL officials maintained that Hull's two shots in the goal mouth constituted a single possession of the puck since the puck deflected off Hasek. The rule was changed for the following season, allowing players to be inside the goaltender's crease as long as they do not interfere with the goaltender.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5568751/2024/06/18/nhl-stanley-cup-contrarian/|title=The Contrarian: Brett Hull's 1999 Stanley Cup goal was good and other fake arguments|last=McIndoe|first=Sean|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 18, 2024|accessdate=March 24, 2025}}</ref>

The [[1999–2000 NHL season|following season]], [[Doug Gilmour]] was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/2000/0310/414305.html|title=Blackhawks trade Gilmour to Sabres|publisher=ESPN Enterprises, Inc.|date=March 12, 2000|website=ESPN.com|accessdate=March 25, 2025}}</ref> Hasek was also sidelined for three months due to a torn groin, but returned with two months left in the regular season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/1999/1101/146121.html|title=Hasek's injury worse than feared|publisher=ESPN Enterprises Inc.|date=November 3, 1999|website=ESPN.com|accessdate=March 25, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-feb-15-sp-64543-story.html|title=Hasek Changes His Mind, Plans to Return to Sabres|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|via=The Associated Press|date=February 15, 2000|accessdate=March 25, 2025}}</ref> Gilmour on the other hand was stricken by stomach flu just before the postseason.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/gilmour-alters-retirement-plan-1.200496|title=Gilmour alters retirement plan|publisher=CBC/Radio-Canada|date=September 7, 2000|website=CBC.ca|accessdate=March 25, 2025}}</ref> Like the previous playoffs season, there would be an officiating controversy. In game two, Flyers left wing [[John LeClair]] put the puck in the net through a hole in the mesh. While replays appeared to show the puck entering through the "side" of the net, the goal was allowed to stand.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com.br/nhl/2000/20000414/recap/bufphi.html|title=Flyers' phantom goal haunts Sabres|publisher=ESPN Enterprises Inc.|date=April 14, 2000|website=ESPN.com|accessdate=March 25, 2025}}</ref> The Flyers would win the game 2–1 and go on to win the series four games to one.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.espn.go.com/nhl/2000/20000420/recap/bufphi.html|title=No 'O,' short postseason for Sabres|publisher=ESPN Enterprises Inc.|date=April 20, 2000|website=ESPN.com|accessdate=March 25, 2025}}</ref>

[[Captain (hockey)|Captain]] Michael Peca sat out the [[2000–01 NHL season|2000–01 season]] due to a contract dispute, and was later traded to the New York Islanders in June 2001 for [[Tim Connolly]] and [[Taylor Pyatt]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jun-25-sp-14470-story.html|title=Sabres Finally Find Way to Trade Holdout Peca|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|via=The Associated Press|date=June 25, 2001|accessdate=March 25, 2025}}</ref> Even so, the Sabres still defeated Philadelphia in six games during the first round of the playoffs, winning 8–0 in the final game.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-apr-22-sp-54300-story.html|title=Sabres Leave No Doubt in 8-0 Rout|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|via=The Associated Press|date=April 22, 2001|accessdate=March 25, 2025}}</ref> In the second round, they faced the Pittsburgh Penguins but lost via a seventh-game overtime goal scored by defenseman [[Darius Kasparaitis]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2001/05/11/penguins-survive-overtime-thriller/293f0bf4-ad9f-4e93-a4db-07812aef1f0d/|title=Penguins Survive Overtime Thriller|last=La Confora|first=Jason|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=May 10, 2001|accessdate=March 25, 2025}}</ref> After lengthy and failed negotiations with their star goaltender, the Sabres traded Hasek to the [[Detroit Red Wings]] in the summer of 2001,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newson6.com/story/5e36819a2f69d76f62095f2a/hasek-traded-to-detroit|title=HASEK traded to Detroit|via=The Associated Press|publisher=Griffin Media|date=July 1, 2001|website=Newson6.com|accessdate=March 25, 2025}}</ref> closing out "The Dominator's" career with Buffalo.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://thehockeynews.com/news/top-shelf-no-goalie-dominated-like-the-dominator|title=Top Shelf: No goalie dominated like the Dominator|last=Dixon|first=Ryan|magazine=The Hockey News|date=June 20, 2008|accessdate=March 25, 2025}}</ref>