Minnesota North Stars vs Buffalo Sabres
Playoffs · Thursday, April 16, 1981 · Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
Game summary
The Minnesota North Stars beat the Buffalo Sabres 4–3 in overtime on Thursday, April 16, 1981 at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. The Sabres outshot the North Stars 32–26.
Steve Payne scored twice. Brad Palmer, Andre Savard, Lindy Ruff, Al MacAdam and Craig Ramsay also scored.
Gilles Meloche made 29 saves on 32 shots for the win; Don Edwards stopped 22 of 26.
Scoring
1st period
Brad Palmer (2)Unassisted1–009:40 MNS ·
2nd period
Andre Savard (4)Rob McClanahan (1), John Van Boxmeer (6)1–105:13 BUF · 
Lindy Ruff (3)Gilbert Perreault (5), Alan Haworth (1)1–211:28 BUF
3rd period
Al MacAdam (4)Kent-Erik Andersson (1), Kevin Maxwell (1)2–201:46 MNS
Steve Payne (8)Tim Young (8), Gordie Roberts (1)3–211:58 MNS
Craig Ramsay (1)Bill Hajt (2), Richie Dunn (4)3–314:46 BUF
Overtime
- Steve Payne (9)Brad Maxwell (3), Al MacAdam (4)4–300:22 MNS
Team stats
MNSBUF
2632
0%0%
0/21/4
128
00
00
00
00
Penalties
- 5:09 into the first period
Curt Giles · holding2 min - 6:18 into the first period
Andre Savard · interference2 min - 6:18 into the first periodGreg Smith · holding2 min
- 7:51 into the first periodJack Carlson · hooking2 min
- 10:45 into the first periodLindy Ruff · hooking2 min
- 16:06 into the first periodJohn Van Boxmeer · roughing2 min
- 16:06 into the first periodJack Carlson · roughing2 min
- 18:30 into the first periodAlan Haworth · hooking2 min
- 3:33 into the second periodCraig Hartsburg · interference2 min
- 13:38 into the second periodBrad Maxwell · holding2 min
Season series
Minnesota North Stars
| 25Al MacAdamR | 1 | 1 | 2 | +2 | 3 | – |
| 26Steve PayneL | 2 | 0 | 2 | +1 | 4 | – |
| 8Kent-Erik AnderssonR | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 4 | – |
| 9Kevin MaxwellC | 0 | 1 | 1 | +2 | 3 | – |
| 14Brad PalmerL | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 4 | – |
| 17Tim YoungC | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 1 | – |
| 5Brad MaxwellD | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 3 | – |
| 10Gordie RobertsD | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 7Neal BrotenC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 15Bobby SmithC | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 0 | – |
| 20Dino CiccarelliR | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 1 | – |
| 21Jack CarlsonL | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 1 | – |
| 28Steve ChristoffC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2Curt GilesD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 3Fred BarrettD | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 | – |
| 4Craig HartsburgD | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 | – |
| 23Greg SmithD | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 1 | – |
| Goalie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27Gilles MelocheG | W | 32 | 3 | .906 |
| 33Don BeaupreG | 0 | 0 | – |
Buffalo Sabres
| 10Craig RamsayL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 11Gilbert PerreaultC | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 1 | – |
| 12Andre SavardC | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 3 | – |
| 14Alan HaworthC | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | – |
| 15Rob McClanahanC | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 22Lindy RuffL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | – |
| 3Richie DunnD | 0 | 1 | 1 | −2 | 1 | – |
| 4John Van BoxmeerD | 0 | 1 | 1 | −1 | 2 | – |
| 24Bill HajtD | 0 | 1 | 1 | −1 | 2 | – |
| 8Tony McKegneyL | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 7 | – |
| 9Mike MollerR | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 0 | – |
| 16Ric SeilingR | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 3 | – |
| 19Derek SmithC | 0 | 0 | 0 | −2 | 0 | – |
| 26Steve PatrickR | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 1 | – |
| 5Mike RamseyD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 6Jim SchoenfeldD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | – |
| 27Larry PlayfairD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Goalie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Don EdwardsG | L | 26 | 4 | .846 |
| 28Bob SauveG | 0 | 0 | – |