Sabres fever is running wild in Western New York, and you don't need to look any farther than Buffalo's Canalside neighborhood to see it as thousands of people donned thier Blue and Gold to cheer on the hometown team at the KeyBank Center.

Even though it started more than 3 hours before the puck dropped on the first NHL playoff game in Buffalo in 15-years, a sea of people piled into the Ticketmaster Alumni Plaza for the Sabres' Party In The Plaza. With tons of music, fun, food, drinks, and Sabres-themed activities, more than 10,000 people found their way to 1 Seymour H. Knox III Plaza to get ready for the game.

Buffalo is well known for its tailgating, and the Bills and Sabres' fans would not be outdone as countless Beer Sabres were being filled as fans celebrated an amazing season for the team.

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Once the doors to the KeyBank Center opened for fans to enter the arena for the game, thousands of Western New Yorkers who weren't able to get a seat inside the sold-out KeyBank Center made their way just one block west for Buffalo's first Sabrehood Block Party at Canalside, which would give fans an opportunity to watch the game right outside of the arena.

The Sabrehood Watch Party featured two massive screens that had a live feed of the game, plus live music and DJs, even more food and beer trucks, other entertainment like corn hole, and special appearances from Sabretooth, Darryl Shannon, and Danny Gare. The watch party was free and open to the public, and fans had a great time, especially when MSG and ESPN showed live shots from Canalside. You can tell a party was being had.

We sent our photographers out to the Party in the Plaza and the Sabrehood Block Party. Did we snap your pic? You can check out the photo gallery below.

Let's Go, Buffalo!

Pics From Party In The Plaza and Sabrehood Block Party

Cold temperatures and rain showers could stop more than 20,000 people from defending on Buffalo’s Canalside neighborhood to cheer on the Sabres as they host their first playoff game at the KeyBank Center in 14 seasons, as the Boston Bruins come to town for Game 1 of the NHL Playoffs. To help celebrate Buffalo’s achievement this season, the team hosted a pregame Party In The Plaza at Buffalo’s Ticketmaster Alumni Plaza and a Sabrehood Block Party at Canalside. 

Gallery Credit: Ed Nice

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Gallery Credit: Ed Nice

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