Erik Brady: Ralph Mellanby spent his life bringing hockey into living rooms, including the first Sabres season By Erik Brady Special to The News Feb 1, 2022 Feb 1, 2022 Updated Mar 12, 2026 0 Sabres owner Seymour H. Knox III drops the ceremonial first puck for the first NHL game at Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium in 1970. Buffalo News file photo Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save By Erik Brady Special to The News Ralph Mellanby dearly loved a good story, and one of his best was about the October day in 1970 when the Buffalo Sabres played their first home game.kAmw:D DE@CJ DE2CD 2 C2E H9@ 92F?E65 E96 pF5[ 3FE E9:D :D 2 9@4<6J DE@CJ] |6==2?3J H2D 2 9@4<6J 8FJ[ E9C@F89 2?5 E9C@F89]k^AmkAmw6 5:65 @? $2EFC52J[ 2E gf[ E@ 2 9@DE @7 9@D2??2D 24C@DD r2?252] tG6? :7 J@F 5@?’E <?@H 9:D ?2>6[ J@F <?@H 9:D DEJ=6i |6==2?3J AC24E:42==J :?G6?E65 E96 H2J H6 H2E49 9@4<6J 2D 6I64FE:G6 AC@5F46C @7 Qw@4<6J }:89E :? r2?252Q 7C@> `hee E@ `hgd] w6 56G6=@A65 :??@G2E:G6 42>6C2 2?8=6D 2?5 82G6 w@H:6 |66<6C 9:D E6=6DEC2E@C – 2?5 s@? r96CCJ 9:D D@2A3@I]k^Am kAm“#2=A9 :D E@ E6=6G:D:@? H92E E96 ~CCD[ w@H6D 2?5 vC6EK<JD 2C6 E@ 9@4<6J[” HC@E6 |:<6 qC@A9J :? E96 :?EC@5F4E:@? E@ |6==2?3J’D 492EEJ a__f >6>@:C[ “(2=<:?8 (:E9 {686?5D]”k^Am People are also reading… Drought forces Appalachian Power to release less water from Smith Mountain Project Transgender woman sues for sexual discrimination against Salem DEQ office Brandon Clarke death mourned by NBA world: 'Heartbreaking' Smith Mountain Lake group has success in curbing destructive wakes Cut by school board, Franklin County family liaisons defend 'critical' jobs Spanberger vetoed a bill to legalize skill games, yet thousands remain in operation 3 degrees in 4 years: Ferrum grad makes the most of her time in college ESPN's McKinney figures Virginia Tech softball has 'chip on their shoulder' Ferrum softball coach Josh Freeman resigns after three losing seasons Franklin County program preparing students for careers faces cuts Ferrum volleyball coach out after just 6 conference wins in 4 years Franklin County hires permanent girls basketball coach with college experience Virginia to move SOL testing to end of school year, raise standards 2026 NBA mock draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson No. 1? Experts weigh in NBA draft lottery winners and losers: Who got rewarded for the rebuild? kAm|6==2?3J DE2CE65 @FE :? %' 2D 2 A2CE\E:>6 AC@A 3@J 2E 2 =@42= DE2E:@? :? (:?5D@C[ ~?E][ 2?5 H6?E @? E@ AC@5F46 ~=J>A:4D E6=642DED 2?5 H:? t>>JD 2?5 :?EC@5F46 E96 2?:>2E65 !6E6C !F4< E@ p>6C:42? 2F5:6?46D @? }qr 9@4<6J 82>6D :? E96 `hf_D]k^AmkAmw6 H2D 3@C? :? w2>:=E@?[ ~?E][ 2?5 DA6?E DF>>6CD 2D 2 3@J :? u@CE tC:6[ 2E 2 4@EE286 @? E96 =2<6[ H96? 9:D 72E96C H2D 2? 65:E@C 2E E96 w2>:=E@? $A64E2E@C] |6==2?3J E@=5 >6 rC6D46?E q6249 H2D D@ H:56 E96? E92E J@F 4@F=5 A=2J D@7E32== @? E96 D2?5]k^Am kAmx 925 42==65 9:> 2E 9:D 9@>6 :? $E] s2G:5’D[ ?62C }:282C2\@?\E96\{2<6[ 27E6C E96 a_a_ 562E9 @7 Qy6@A2C5JPQ 9@DE p=6I %C636<] (6 E2=<65 23@FE E96 E:>6 |6==2?3J ?62C=J 9:C65 %C636< 2D 2 9@DE 7@C Qw@4<6J }:89EQ – 2?5 6?565 FA 9:C:?8 s2G6 w@586 7C@> E96 $23C6D :?DE625] W*@F 42? C625 E92E 4@=F>? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^3F772=@?6HD]4@>^DA@CED^D23C6D^6C:<\3C25J\H96?\D23C6D\G@:46\52G6\9@586\>@G65\E@\9@4<6J\?:89E\2=6I\EC636<\8@E\9:D^2CE:4=60f`b_gc2c\d`b5\``63\3g3f\6f4f47g6b_22]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm96C6k^2m]Xk^Am kAmw2G:?8 =:G65 @? ~?E2C:@’D }:282C2 A6?:?DF=2 2D 2 3@J[ |6==2?3J 42>6 E@ =:G6 E96C6 282:? 2D 2 C6E:C66] (96? 9:D 7:CDE H:76 5:65[ :? a__`[ E96J H6C6 =:G:?8 :? pE=2?E2[ H96C6 96 925 2 E6=6G:D:@? 4@?DF=E:?8 3FD:?6DD] $@>6 J62CD =2E6C[ H9:=6 52E:?8 E96 H@>2? H9@ H@F=5 364@>6 9:D D64@?5 H:76[ D96 2D<65 9:> E@ 8@ 324< E@ r2?252]k^Am kAm“x D2:5[ ‘(9J H@F=5 x 5@ E92En’ p?5 D96 D2:5[ ‘%92E’D H96C6 J@F’C6 72>@FD]’ ”k^AmkAmw6 5:5?’E H2?E E@ =:G6 :? %@C@?E@[ H96C6 D96 H2D 7C@>i “x’> 2 4@F?ECJ 3@J[ 2?5 x 5:5?’E H2?E E@ 36 :? 2 3:8 4:EJ 2?J>@C6] (6 7@F?5 2 =@G6=J A=246 :? $E] s2G:5’D] (6’C6 `d >:?FE6D 7C@> >J 8@=7 4=F3 2?5 `d >:?FE6D 7C@> >J E6??:D 4=F3 2?5 `d >:?FE6D 7C@> E96 u2==D]”k^Am kAm%92E AFE 9:> >2J36 cd >:?FE6D 7C@> 5@H?E@H? qF772=@[ H96C6 96 >256 9:DE@CJ 2D E96 AC@5F46C @7 E96 7:CDE D62D@?D @7 $23C6D E6=6G:D:@? 3C@2542DED 2E E96 D2>6 E:>6 96 H2D AC@5F4:?8 Qw@4<6J }:89E :? r2?252]Q p?5 E96C6:? =:6D @FC E2=6]k^Am kAm“|J 3@DD 925 2 8@@5 C6=2E:@?D9:A H:E9 E96 z?@I6D[ H9@ @H?65 E96 $23C6D[ 2?5 E96J 5:5?’E 92G6 2 >@3:=6 ECF4<[ D@ H6 8@E E96 ;@3[” |6==2?3J D2:5] “x H2?E65 E@ AC@5F46 E96 7:CDE 82>6 >JD6=7 E@ >2<6 DFC6 6G6CJE9:?8 H6?E C:89E]k^AmkAm“p?JH2J[ E92E 52J x H6?E E@ E96 ;@9? :? E96 @=5 pF5[ 2?5 x H2D D:EE:?8 5@H? 92G:?8 2 A@@A” – 96 A2FD65 7@C 5C2>2E:4 67764E – “H96? 2 ]]] C2E 76== @? >J 9625]”k^Am kAm|6==2?3J A2FD65 282:?[ E9:D E:>6 E@ =2F89 FAC@2C:@FD=J]k^Am kAm“$@ x H2=<65 @FE 2?5 x D66 >J @=5 7C:6?5 !F?49 x>=249 H2=<:?8 5@H? E96 DE2:CD] p?5 x D2:5[ ‘!F?49[ J@F H@?’E 36=:6G6 H92E ;FDE 92AA6?65 E@ >6] x H2D :? E96 ;@9? 2?5 2 C2E 76== @? >J 9625]’ p?5 !F?49 D2:5[ ‘(6=4@>6 E@ E96 pF5 :? qF772=@]’ ”k^AmkAmp 86?6C2E:@? =2E6C[ |6==2?3J H2D 324< E@ E96 pF5 E@ D66 9:D D@?[ $4@EE[ A=2J 7@C E96 !9:=256=A9:2 u=J6CD] q67@C6 E96 82>6[ #2=A9 C2? :?E@ %65 s2C=:?8[ E96? E96 %' G@:46 @7 E96 $23C6D[ H9@ 925 H@C<65 7@C 9:> 2D E96 |@?EC62= 9@DE @7 Qw@4<6J }:89E :? r2?252Q :? E96 J62CD 367@C6 s2C=:?8 42>6 E@ qF772=@]k^Am kAm“x 5:5?’E <?@H %65 H2D 8@:?8 E@ 5@ E9:D[ 3FE 96 H6?E E@ E96 z?@I6D[ H9@ 925 2 'x! C@@> :? E96 pF5 7@C DA@?D@CD 2?5 E96>D6=G6D[” |6==2?3J D2:5] “$@ x H2D H2E49:?8 E96 82>6 2?5 $4@EE 925 E96 7:CDE 8@2=] (6 H6C6 E96 @?=J A6@A=6 :? E96 3F:=5:?8 H9@ 4966C65] %96?[ ?62C E96 6?5 @7 E96 7:CDE A6C:@5[ E9:D 92?5D@>6 >2? 4@>6D FA 2?5 D2JD[ ‘|C] |6==2?3J[ x’> $6J>@FC z?@I x'] |J 72E96C 2?5 F?4=6 H@F=5 =:<6 J@F E@ 4@>6 FA E@ E96 'x! C@@> E@ D2J 96==@]’ p?5 x D2:5[ ‘pC6 J@F DFC6n %@?:89E x’> E96 6?6>J]’ ”k^Am kAm|6==2?3J H2D ?6G6C E96 6?6>J[ @7 4@FCD6] w6 H2D 2 C24@?E6FC H9@ >256 7C:6?5D 24C@DD E96 8=@36[ :?4=F5:?8 96C6 @? E96 }:282C2 uC@?E:6C]k^Am kAmw:D @3:EF2CJ C2? :? ?6HDA2A6CD 24C@DD r2?252[ E9@F89 E96J =67E @FE @?6 D>2== 56E2:= E92E 56=:89E65 9:> E@ ?@E6i (96? 96 H2D 86EE:?8 9:D DE2CE :? E96 ?6HD 3FD:?6DD[ |6==2?3J HC@E6 @3:EF2C:6D 7@C E96 tDD6I W~?E]X uC66 !C6DD] w6 6?;@J65 E96 @3:ED[ 96 H@F=5 D2J[ 3642FD6 E96J 2C6 DE@C:6D H:E9 2 368:??:?8[ >:55=6 2?5 6?5]k^AmkAmp?5 D@ E96 6?5 92D 4@>6 7@C @?6 @7 }@CE9 p>6C:42’D 8C62E DE@CJE6==6CD] %:A 2 4@=5 |@=D@? :? 9:D ?2>6 E@?:89E] p?5 >2J36 92G6 @?6 7@C E92E C2E[ E@@] $@>6E9:?8 E6==D >6 #2=A9 |6==2?3J H@F=5 2AAC@G6]k^Am 0 comments Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Sabres' Peyton Krebs returns to Vegas a 'completely different player' Krebs’ role is far different with the Buffalo Sabres than it was with the Las Vegas Golden Knights. He’s been a fixture in the Sabres’ top six… Watch Now: Related Video A1 Minute May 12, 2026: Afton winery to be acquired by Charlottesville-based investor group Kids In the US More Likely To Die By Guns Than Anything Else Kids In the US More Likely To Die By Guns Than Anything Else A1 Minute! May 11, 2026: Big Dipper Innovation Summit; Parental Paid Leave Law; Inclusion Day A1 Minute! May 11, 2026: Big Dipper Innovation Summit; Parental Paid Leave Law; Inclusion Day A1 Minute! May 6, 2026: Nottoway teacher wins state award; Housing nonprofit buys bank building; Rest Fest returns to Dogwood Dell A1 Minute! May 6, 2026: Nottoway teacher wins state award; Housing nonprofit buys bank building; Rest Fest returns to Dogwood Dell
Sabres' Peyton Krebs returns to Vegas a 'completely different player' Krebs’ role is far different with the Buffalo Sabres than it was with the Las Vegas Golden Knights. He’s been a fixture in the Sabres’ top six…
A1 Minute! May 6, 2026: Nottoway teacher wins state award; Housing nonprofit buys bank building; Rest Fest returns to Dogwood Dell
A1 Minute! May 6, 2026: Nottoway teacher wins state award; Housing nonprofit buys bank building; Rest Fest returns to Dogwood Dell