Fans loading up on Sabres' merch

Walking through the Sabres Store inside KeyBank Center Thursday afternoon, Ray Lafferty was a man on a mission.

Lafferty came to the store specifically to buy a white Sabres' hockey jersey.

Mission accomplished.

Why make the trek from Cheektowaga to KeyBank Center.

"It shows I'm all in," Lafferty said. "I've been a Sabres fan since 1970."

Tonawanda's Mike Shultz came to the store specifically to buy a Just Dishin' Sabres hat.

And, he may buy some other things too.

""I'm just so excited," Schultz said.

Schultz and Lafferty are just a small sample size of how Sabres fever has gripped Western New York with the sale of anything related to the team a hot retailing item.

The excitement is being fueled by the Sabres' return to the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2011, ending an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought.

Consider in early December, the Sabres were in last place not only in the Atlantic Division but the NHL's East Conference.

The team finished with 50 wins and winning the Atlantic Division crown. Only the Carolina Hurricanes had more points and wins in the Eastern Conference than the Sabres.

"This sets us up well for future seasons," said Pete Guelli, Sabres; chief operating officer.

Game day merchandise sales at the Sabres Stone is up 43% for last season.

Attendance is up 12% and the team recorded 24 regular season home games at KeyBank Center, up from just four last season.

Guelli said the Sabres are ready for the playoffs including, working its Delaware North partners, to create a series of new foods that will be available beginning with Sunday's contest against the Boston Bruins.

"We really spread our wings," said Mike Buonopane, Delaware North executive chef.

Buonopane and his team created 18 new playoff food items,

Among the new items:

* The Tommer Bomber, a meatball sandwich with mozzarella cheese, potato chips on garlic bread and served in a replica Sabres' wagon box.

The meatballs are from Buonopane's grandmother's recipe.

* Sponge candy fried dough

* Pulled pork egg roll

* General Tso's chicken sandwich

* Cinnamon sugar pretzel bites.

"I think the fans will respond to the items," Buonopane said.