SABRES HOST HURRICANES TONIGHT
The Buffalo Sabres look to bounce back after a loss on Saturday as they welcome the Carolina Hurricanes to town this evening.
Bouncing back after a loss is not something Buffalo has done well this season. Only twice since September have the Sabres responded after one loss with a win, with both of those scenarios happening in early November. A majority of the time Buffalo has picked up a loss on the season, it has stretched to at least three straight losses before they could muster up a win.
Going back two weeks, I had said that my “New Year’s Resolution” for the Sabres was to play better at home. In their two home games in 2025, they’ve picked up a shootout win over Washington before, as Head Coach Lindy Ruff said, “getting embarrassed” by the Seattle Kraken on Saturday, blowing a two-goal lead and losing 6-2.
Sure, there are still 39 games left to play in the regular season, but if Buffalo want to at all make a run at the postseason, be it this season or in the future, they need to figure out a way to win their next game following a bad loss. As Ted Lasso said, they need to play with the mind of a goldfish. Forget about that collapse and move onto the next game.
Carolina is no push-over coming into KeyBank Center tonight. The Hurricanes are 26-15-3, good for third place in the Metropolitan Division. Carolina comes off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks in Raleigh, putting the ‘Canes in quite comfortable territory, as they’ve had quite the back-and forth season. Carolina has a 12-3-1 record following a loss, compare that to Buffalo’s 7-15-4 record after a loss and you’ll see who has been more capable in this situation.
Puck Drop from KeyBank Center is an odd one, set for tonight at 6PM.
PWHL COMING TO BUFFALO NEXT MONTH
The Professional Women’s Hockey League is coming to Buffalo!
As part of the PWHL’s “Takeover Tour,” the Boston Fleet will take on the New York Sirens at KeyBank Center on Sunday February 23rd. With the new league eyeing expansion in coming years, Buffalo is clearly a city that has shown interest in pro women’s hockey in the past, as recently as within the last decade.
The Buffalo Beauts were a member of the National Women’s Hockey League, then the rebranded Premier Hockey Federation, from 2015 till 2023, when the league folded. The Beauts were a trailblazing team for women’s hockey and the NWHL, not just for their success on the ice upon joining the league, but for their business partners in the front office. In 2017, the Beauts were purchased by Pegula Sports Entertainment, becoming the first professional women's team to be owned by an NHL team owner. Since then, a lot has changed, including the dissolvement of PSE in 2023.
Who knows what ownership would look like, but this move for the PWHL to make a stop in Buffalo is a clear sign that the league respects the city and could potentially look at the Nickel City as a future expansion site. This takeover game in just over a month will be a great chance for Buffalo and the WNY/Southern Ontario market to show the league they want pro women’s hockey in this region with attendance and enthusiasm.
WEDNESDAY WHIP-AROUND
Time to check in on the local college basketball scene with the ‘Wednesday Whip-Around’:
DIVISION I
Buffalo Bulls MBB: 5-11 (0-4), UB dropped games vs Kent State and at Bowling Green by an average of 18 points each game. The Bulls are now one of two winless teams in the Mid American Conference, with the NIU Huskies as company at the bottom of the standings. They’re at Western Michigan on Saturday before hosting Akron next Tuesday night.
Buffalo Bulls WBB: 13-2 (2-2), After the toughest stretch of their conference schedule, the Bulls picked up a win over Bowling Green before falling to a dominant Ball State team at home on Saturday. Buffalo is at Eastern Michigan tonight before hosting Miami (OH) on Saturday for their Breast Cancer Awareness game at 2PM.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies MBB: 14-3 (2-2), The Bonnies had their toughest week of the season, falling at Saint Louis 73-68, before dropping their first home game on the season to La Salle, 83-82 in Overtime. BONA remains in Olean for another A10 battle tonight as they host Richmond at 7PM before heading to Duquesne on Saturday.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies WBB: 5-11 (1-4), St. Bonaventure picked up their first A10 win of the season with a 68-66 thriller over Saint Louis last week. BONA then dropped a nine point loss to UMass on Sunday. The Bonnies are at Richmond tonight before hosting Davidson on Saturday at 1PM.
Canisius Golden Griffins MBB: 1-15 (1-4), The Griffs won their first game of the season last Friday, an 85-67 victory at home over the Rider Broncs. It took 30 points from Paul McMillan and three other Griffs notching 16 points to pull out the win. Canisius then lost to Saint Peter’s. They are at Iona and Fairfield this weekend.
Canisius Golden Griffins WBB: 2-13 (1-4), Canisius’ women also picked up their first league victory over Rider, on the road last Thursday, before falling at Saint Peter’s on Saturday. The Griffs are at home tomorrow night against Iona, and Saturday vs Fairfield.
Niagara Purple Eagles MBB: 7-9 (2-3), The Purple Eagles split the week in the MAAC, defeating Saint Peter’s on Friday night as they honored the 2004-05 Championship team, before falling to Rider on Sunday, 68-65. NU heads to Fairfield and Manhattan this weekend.
Niagara Purple Eagles WBB: 1-12 (0-5), Niagara dropped games at Saint Peter’s and Rider this past week, as well as some news about their all-conference post and Cheektowaga native Aaliyah Parker. On her social media, Parker announced that, due to the lengthy recovery time from injuries, she is sitting out the remainder of this season and retaining her senior year of eligibility as a medical redshirt.
DIVISION II
Daemen Wildcats MBB: 14-0 (6-0); WBB 10-6 (6-0), The Wildcat men are ranked the 3rd best team in the nation at the Division II level in the latest poll, having won their last two league games by an average of 39 points. The Daemen women also remain perfect in ECC action. Both Wildcat teams host cross-town rivals D’Youville this weekend, the men on Thursday night at 7, and the women on Saturday at noon. Following that women’s game, the men host ranked Gannon for a non-league battle at 2PM.
D’Youville Saints MBB: 2-13 (0-6); WBB 4-11 (2-4), The DYU women split the week, defeating Queens by 9 points before falling at Molloy. Both teams take on Daemen this weekend on the road, before hosting Roberts Wesleyan next Wednesday.
DIVISION III
Hilbert Hawks MBB: 10-5 (3-3); WBB 1-14 (1-5), The women host Penn State Behrend at 7PM tonight, while both teams welcome Mount Aloysius for a doubleheader on Saturday.
Buffalo State Bengals MBB 4-9 (2-4); WBB 4-9 (1-5), The Battle By The Lake is this Friday night at Fredonia.
Fredonia State Blue Devils MBB 4-8 (2-3); WBB 4-7 (1-4), Host Buff State at 4PM and 6PM Friday night for the Battle By The Lake.
