PRINCETON, N.J. – Former South Carolina Stingrays defenseman Joe Finley became the 475th player to play in the National Hockey League after the ECHL when he made his debut with the Buffalo Sabres in a 4-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Friday.
The 24-year-old had one shot on goal and was a minus-1 in 7:51 of ice time for the Sabres.
The Gwinnett Gladiators are the ECHL affiliate of the Sabres and the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League.
A first-round selection (27th overall) by the Washington Capitals in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Finley scored four points (1g-3a) in 17 games with the Stingrays in 2009-10 and added eight points (1g-7a) in 26 games with the club in 2010-11. He has also seen action in 26 American Hockey League games with Hershey and Rochester the previous three seasons tallying three points (1g-2a).
