SABRES SWEPT BY CANADIENS; FALL APART AGAINST SHARKS LAST NIGHT
The last two days for Sabres fans have been a gut punch. After the team won six of seven games, they followed that stretch up with four straight losses, even worse, it’s a season sweep to the Canadiens and an awful 6-2 loss at home vs last place San Jose.
Following a disheartening 4-2 loss at home to the Canadiens, the Sabres took the quick flight to Montreal for the rematch Monday night. Before the game, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News posted on X saying that Sabres Head Coach Lindy Ruff told reporters that they “have to win this game”. With backup goalie James Reimer in net, Buffalo showed a ton of gumption in the opening twenty minutes, mixing it up with Canadiens after almost every whistle. Unfortunately for the blue and gold, their efforts to show toughness after the play was over did not translate into wise play during the action. The Sabres suffered three goals in the opening period, and trailed 3-0 until late in the second period. Alex Tuch put the visitors on the board, finishing off a 2-on-1 feed from Dylan Cozens, set up by an 80-foot Dennis Gilbert outlet pass.
A vintage Tage Thompson slap shot brought Buffalo on the board just over three minutes into the third. As the period went on, Buffalo continued to pour on shots; they ended the game outshooting the Habs 36-20. With just over a minute left in regulation and the extra attacker on the ice, Rasmus Dahlin curled from the top of the slot to the left circle, switching spots with Thompson, and put a move on the Canadien defenseman to open up the shot lane. As the captain glided toward the faceoff dot, he ripped a wrister over the glove of Sam Montembeault, tying the game at three. However, in overtime, Jiri Kulich got caught out of position in the neutral zone, leading to a Montreal two-on-one, when Mike Matheson sniped a shot past Reimer to win it, 4-3. For the first time since 2017-18, the Canadiens sweep the season series over Buffalo; it’s the fourth time Buffalo has gotten swept by Montreal since the team’s inception in 1970.
Last night, the Sabres returned home for their Bills theme night, as Buffalo welcomed the last-placed San Jose Sharks to town… I’ll keep this brief. The Sabres never led, losing 6-2 on home ice. Again, Buffalo lost to the team that most consider the worst in the league, 6-2, on home ice.
The Sabres are already back on the road, with a trip to the sunshine state to close out the week. The blue and gold will be in Tampa Bay on Thursday night and at the Florida Panthers on Saturday.
D’YOUVILLE WBB HOSTS ECC PLAYOFF GAME TONIGHT
The D’Youville Saints women’s basketball team clinched a spot in the East Coast Conference postseason tournament, with a home game tonight in the First Round. The #4 seeded Saints host #5 seed Molloy with a spot in the conference Semifinal on the line. In their two regular season meetings, the home team won both games, with DYU claiming their most recent game at the Saints Center, 66-57. D’Youville senior Anna Jankovic averaged 10 points and 12 rebounds against Molloy this season. Effective three-point shooting was key in D’Youville’s mid-February win, as senior Sofie Fuglsang knocked down six triples, while Buffalo native and Cardinal O’Hara grad Aliviya Vallone Russell drilled five trifectas. The winner of this First Round matchup will advance to the semifinal at Daemen to take on the #1 seed Wildcats on Saturday. Tip-off from the Saints Center Gym downtown tonight is at 7PM tonight.
HAMBURG NATIVE STRACK NAMED SEC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Hamburg High School grad and current standout on the hardwood at Kentucky, Clara Stack has been named the Defensive Player of the Year in the Southeastern Conference. In her first year in the SEC, Strack was instrumental in the Wildcats consistent top-25 ranking. Along with being named to the All-Defensive team in the conference, the 6’5 sophomore was honored as an All-SEC 2nd Teamer. Strack is averaging sixteen points and ten rebounds after transferring this summer from Virginia Tech. Entering the SEC Tournament, Kentucky has earned a bye to the quarterfinal as the #4 seed. They’ll play the winner of #5 Oklahoma and their to-be-determined opponent on Friday afternoon.
WEDNESDAY WHIP-AROUND: COLLEGE HOOPS GAMES REMAINING IN WNY
Less than two weeks away from Selection Sunday, there are only a few chances left to see college basketball in WNY this season.
DIVISION I
Buffalo Bulls MBB: 9-21 (4-13), With a loss to Miami at home last night, the Bulls men’s team will wrap up their season on Saturday at top seeded Akron. The Bulls are eliminated from the MAC tournament.
Buffalo Bulls WBB: 23-5 (12-4), UB has a battle tonight at top-ranked Ball State tonight before they return home to close the regular season on Saturday afternoon for Senior Day vs Western Michigan. Buffalo has clinched a top five seed in the Conference Tournament, which begins next Wednesday in Cleveland.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies MBB: 19-10 (7-9), The Bonnies host UMass tonight at 7PM for their final home game of the season. BONA will be at Davidson Saturday for their last regular season game. St. Bonaventure will be in the A10 Tournament, as each team gets a bid to the postseason.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies WBB: 6-23 (2-16), The A10 tournament begins today for the Bonnies women, as they take on Saint Louis in the first round. 2:30pm tipoff.
Niagara Purple Eagles MBB: 10-19 (5-13), Niagara lost their final home game on Sunday to Manhattan. They end the season on the road tomorrow at Saint Peter’s and at Rider on Saturday. They’ll need help from teams ahead of them and have to sweep this week to get the final bid to the postseason.
Niagara Purple Eagles WBB: 2-24 (1-17), The Purple Eagles host Saint Peter’s tomorrow night, before welcoming Rider to town Saturday for Senior Day at 1PM.
Canisius Golden Griffins MBB: 3-26 (3-15), Canisius head to Rider and Saint Peter’s this week to close out the regular season. They’ve been eliminated from the MAAC Tournament.
Canisius Golden Griffins WBB: 8-20 (7-11), The Golden Griffins need one win out of their final two games (vs Rider and vs Saint Peter’s) to clinch the 10th and final spot in the MAAC Postseason Tournament.
DIVISION II
#1 Daemen Wildcats MBB: 25-0 (16-0); WBB 19-7 (15-1), Both the Daemen teams have clinched the top spots in the ECC Tournament, giving them home court advantage through the conference championship game this Saturday and Sunday.
D’Youville Saints MBB: 8-17 (6-10); WBB 10-15 (8-8), The D’Youville Women host Molloy in the first round of the ECC Tournament tonight at 7PM. The Saints Men have missed the final postseason spot.
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