BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – – Regardless of missing out on the playoffs for a 12th straight season, fans returned to KeyBank Center in 2022-23 to view the Buffalo Sabres in a year that boiled down to the last week of the routine season.

Overall presence for the season was 638,174. That averages out to 15,565 fans per game over the course of 41 home matches.

In 40 games at KeyBank Center in 2021-22, the Sabres balanced 9,998 fans per video game. An additional Sabres house game that season was played against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario.

That means the Sabres increased their KeyBank Center attendance 55.7% this season.

There are other numbers to include context to the return of fans. In 2021-22, the Sabres sold out just one game at KeyBank Center: April 1 against the Predators on a night that honored long time broadcaster Rick Jeanneret. This season, the arena was sold out 9 times.

KeyBank Center capacity is 19,070.

In 2021-22, there were 29 house games in which attendance was listed below 10,000. It only occurred as soon as in 2022-23: an early-season Monday night video game against Detroit.

The Sabres were eliminated from playoff contention with Tuesday's loss to New Jersey. They beat Ottawa Thursday in the house finale before wrapping up the season Friday night in Columbus.

Sabres send off Craig Anderson with a win in home ending

Chris Horvatits is an acclaimed press reporter and anchor who started working at WIVB in 2017. A Lancaster native, he concerned Buffalo after working at stations in Rochester and Watertown. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.