from Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News,

They sat 14 strong in Section A15, Row 11 of the Ericsson Globe. A few hours before the Buffalo Sabres played a game in Sweden for the first time in their history, the members of the Sabres CZ-SK Fan Club (that's Czech-Slovak) were in Austria, taking a flight here from Vienna.

You didn't know there was such as thing as the Czech-Slovak Fan club? Me either.

They arrived in plenty of time for the 8 p.m. local time faceoff, even got some pictures taken with the team at the Grand Hotel before the players boarded the buses to the arena. Once at the game, they came with full throats and full regalia and were a big part of a very different atmosphere for an NHL contest.

Many had painted their hair in the red, white and blue colors of the Czech Republic. The leader, 23-year-old university student Viktor Maudr from Prague, carried a drum that he banged on to lead the cheers while wearing his 50th anniversary Victor Olofsson jersey.

"We have so much passion for the Buffalo Sabres and it is a dream to be here to see them," Maudr said, talking rapidly but in English clear enough to be deciphered through his accent. "A dream come true."

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