If you have been to a Buffalo Sabres game over the last eight years, the atmosphere at KeyBank Center hasn't always been one that leaves you in awe or oozing with excitement. Of course, the product on the ice has been a major contributing factor for that.
A win like the 4-3 victory on Thursday night against the Nashville Predators injects excitement in fans as they walk back to their cars.
The win was just icing on the cake. The Sabres absolutely crushed it with their "Aud Night" celebration, honoring the 1980s era of Buffalo hockey.
To try and replicate the look of the Sabres' first arena, the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, every seat was draped with free Aud t-shirts that were the color of the seats in each section. The shirts in the 300 level were orange, the 200 level seats were blue, and then the 100 level were either red or yellow depending on how close you sat to the ice. The lower rows of seats were yellow in the Aud.
So in love with this look, we made it a wallpaper! --#Sabres50 pic.twitter.com/cglRMZ8Ixc
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) December 12, 2019Gonna party like it's the '80s. --Game on at @KeyBankCtr! #Sabres50 pic.twitter.com/mBJjJjLZ5N
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) December 13, 2019It was a nostalgic night that brought back a lot of memories for Sabres fans who grew up going to games at the Aud.
Fans seemed really into the theme of the night, digging into their closets to find some memorabilia to bring to the game.
Hey @BuffaloSabres @WGR550 @sabresorgan, broke these out to post photos of them on Aud Night! #Sabres50 pic.twitter.com/Znwi2kRpnr
— thinksojoe (@thinksojoe) December 12, 2019Fell in love with the game the moment I stepped foot in this place back in 1986. ---- all being shared across WNY for Aud night tonight during #Sabres50. pic.twitter.com/L8AmhwbHX2
— -------------- ------------ (@m_drez) December 13, 2019For younger members of the audience that weren't given the chance to see a game in the old stomping grounds, it was an opportunity to experience a similar atmosphere.
From the t-shirt giveaway that recreated the seating color (more giveaways the better), '80s and Aud themed videos on the big board that included old footage the organization had to have pulled from a VCR, the music, even the wallpapers the Sabres created on Twitter, credit must be given for the atmosphere.
Soon. --#Sabres50 | @Icebeardude pic.twitter.com/qDt8gTXZMt
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) December 12, 2019While rocking the 1980s royal blue or white jerseys even for warmups would have made for an even better celebration, it is hard to complain with the job the organization did.
As one of the individuals in attendance who wished they could have had at least one chance to visit the Aud, it was a night to remember.
