RAYZOR: The bus ride from Toronto in 1999 was unforgettable

I still say the best two and a half hours of my career were the ones spent on the bus from Toronto to Buffalo after we beat the Maple Leafs in the 1999 Eastern Conference Final.

The series itself was incredible. We split the first two games in Toronto and had a ton of confidence coming back, knowing what our building was going to be like. The weather was getting warmer as we got deeper into May, and the environment was just off the charts. If it were a 7 o'clock game, fans would start tailgating around the arena at lunchtime.

We put together a shutout win in Game 3, then we really took control of the series in Game 4. We scored four goals in the second period - two from Geoff Sanderson, one from Brian Holzinger, and one from myself. The building was just buzzing. And the special thing I remember was the excitement on the bench. On that team, it didn't matter who scored. Guys wanted to see each other have success.

After winning those games at home, going back to Toronto for Game 5 felt like a formality. They were broken down. We took care of business there and earned a trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

Which brings us to that bus ride home. Being in that space with all the people who had been a part of that run - coaches, players, trainers - was really special. You felt like you had conquered the world. There were guys crying, reminiscing about the journey. We were young, extremely close, and we had been through a lot together as a team. It was an emotional time.

Until we got to the border, that is. That's where things got crazy. The customs officer walked onto the bus and asked for our IDs, which is standard. That lasted for about two seconds before he started running down the aisle, high fiving everyone and joining the celebration. When he got back to the front, Dominik Hasek grabbed him by the shoulders and poured a beer over his head.

We were like, Oh my God. It went from euphoria to, "we're in trouble," just like that. But the officer shouted, "Yeahhh!" and ran off the bus, and away we went. It was pretty darn cool. I guess we were lucky he was a Sabres fan.

Like I said, the best two and a half hours of my career.

If you're reading this, you probably know what happened next. We played an extremely deep, talented Dallas team and we left it all on the ice. Every game was close. We came up short and the ending was controversial, and I admit it sticks with most of us today. You do wonder what would have happened if Brett Hull's goal was called back. What could have been?

But to me, it doesn't overshadow what that group accomplished. You play the game to win, yes. But if you walk away from the game and you've earned the respect of the guys you played with and the people you played for, that what it's all about. When people still talk about us as the "hardest working team in hockey" and that sort of thing, it's a feather in your cap. It makes you realize, 20 years later, that people respect the way you played.

And the friendships are so deep. When we were together for '90s Night this season, it felt like we were right back on that bus, hanging out again. These are people who I could call and ask for help, and they would be there in an instant. So, yeah, OK, we didn't win. I got more than winning from that group. I got friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.