STREAKY SABRES MIGHT BE HERE TO STAY
Sabres fans might have to accept the reality that their team is extremely streaky this season, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Following their second three-game losing skid this year, Buffalo responded with resounding blowout victories over the Ottawa Senators and the New York Rangers.
Tuesday’s 5-1 victory over Ottawa was hard fought, with over 70 hits delivered by the two teams combined throughout the night. On Thursday, it was an all out attack by the blue and gold from the first faceoff to the final whistle, earning a 6-1 win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
There were three constants in both Buffalo wins:
1. Timely Goaltending
During either game, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made key saves when given the opportunity, giving the Sabres momentum, and a sense of security to freely attack offensively.
2. Depth Scoring
In the win over Ottawa, eight different Sabres earned a point, and in New York, every Sabre forward found their way onto the scoresheet at least once.
3. Special Teams Production
Over the course of the two-game stretch, Buffalo’s power play went a combined 3 of 8, that’s a 38% success rate, which would rank atop the National Hockey League over the course of a full season. On the penalty kill, Buffalo stifled their opponents, killing all eight shorthanded situations.
The fact of the matter is, Buffalo might be a streaky team this season. They’ve had two losing streaks of three games thus far, and are on the brink of their second three game win streak. While a hot and cold team for the entire season is not what Coach Lindy Ruff or their staff would like, it’s at least enjoyable for the fans. Given their ability to look as dominant as they have against some really good teams so far, no matter what their record is come January, you shouldn’t count this team out of making a run to the playoffs.
Buffalo hosts Calgary for a non-league game on Saturday at 1PM.
NCAA RULES TO GIVE CHL PLAYERS ELIGIBILITY - WITH NIAGARA UNIVERSITY HC JASON LAMMERS
Just yesterday, the NCAA Division I council approved a rule allowing players with Canadian Hockey League experience to compete at U.S. colleges starting next season. This decision will not only impact the CHL and College Hockey, but could see varying effects on lower level amateur hockey leagues in both Canada and the United States.
This ruling negates a ban that kept CHL players from coming across the border to play for American universities due to the $600 a month stipend that players receive from their CHL teams. In the last decade, the NCAA has completely shifted from heavily restricting student athletes from accepting a penny to play for their universities, to now building infrastructure supporting the payment of players. Years after football and basketball players’ got their way, this move was long overdue, and now opens up a pool of talent for US college hockey programs to recruit.
With the way the system used to be set up, players are allowed to join one of the three leagues within the CHL system: the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL by the time they are 16 years old, and in some exceptional cases, at 15. That’s to say that if a player was good enough, they could play in the CHL two years before they are old enough to play college hockey in the US, making their decision pretty easily to join the CHL and forgo their NCAA eligibility. Now, this ruling opens the path for players to play a couple years in CHL before making the leap across the border into the college hockey world.
I spoke with Niagara University Head Coach Jason Lammers about this decision to hear his thoughts on how this ruling may affect the Purple Eagles on how they look to attack recruiting moving forward:
Above all, this ruling helps the players the most, across the board. The higher-end players are able to have more options available to them, including the chance to advance their education after playing junior hockey in Canada. Meanwhile, as those top-end players from the CHL try their luck at the NCAA level, more players could be brought in from the USHL and the NAHL to fill roster spots in the CHL. The future of North American hockey is the biggest winner, with more routes available for the players than ever before.
TWO TOP TEAMS IN WNY MEET IN SECTIONAL SEMIFINAL ON FNL TONIGHT
Tonight on Friday Night Lights, it’s the most highly anticipated game of the year as the Clarence Red Devils take on the Sweet Home Panthers in the Section VI Class A Semifinal. With a trip to Highmark Stadium and the Championship game on the line, this game is so much more than just two of the best quarterbacks in WNY going head-to-head.
Clarence is the defending champion, with a host of returners on both sides of the ball. They’ve lost two games this season: one to the presumptive Section V Champion and in the regular season finale to the McKinley Macks, who punched their ticket to the Sectional Final last night. Clarence is led by senior quarterback Bryce Tubin, who is one of the most mentally advanced players in the area, regardless of position. His ability to dissect a defense and consistently make the right decision is Tom Brady-esq, and he’s got the championship demeanor to match. The senior playmakers that surround him, Jefferson Long, Patrick Wind, David Van Horn, Preston Zwolinski, Michael McCarthy, have each done things to win games this season for the Red Devils. They’ve been here before, but they haven’t played Sweet Home before.
The Panthers lost in the semifinal last year, and return almost all of the key pieces that suffered that loss. It’s the optimal position any coach would ask for. Third year starting quarterback Rocco Panepinto is playing the best football of his career right now. His awareness in the pocket and ability to improvise and create when a play breaks down is Patrick Mahomes-esq, and he’s got the moxie to match. Team speed is the not-so-secret weapon for Sweet Home, with the reigning Section VI 100m dash winner Niear Patterson starting on both sides of the ball. To top it all off, the Panthers have a tank at running back in Daquan Stone, who appears to be running at a level better than we’ve seen over the last two years.
This is about as high-caliber as a high school football game can be in Section VI, and the stakes are just as high. Catch the game tonight on Friday Night Lights on WBFO and WNED Create at 7PM.
IROQUOIS' KLIETZ MAKES WNY HISTORY IN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL LAST NIGHT
Justus Klietz ended his junior season at Iroquois High School by setting multiple Western New York records. While the Redhawks missed the playoffs, they won the Class B Chuck Funke Bowl in consolation, and in their final game, Klietz set a new record for passing yards in a career with 6,897 yards thrown. The previous record was set last season by South Park’s Noah Willoughby, and before that held for over a decade by Williamsville South’s Joe Licata. The difference here is that Justus Klietz is only a junior.
Kleitz also set the WNY records for single season passing yards (3,234 yards). His top target at receiver Nick Skutnik, also a junior, set the WNY single season records for receptions (86) and yards (1,286). That duo will be top of mind when the 2025 fall season rolls around as must-watch players in the area.
