The Scoreboard - December 18th

SABRES GET GET BLOWN OUT BY CANADIENS; LOSING STREAK HITS 11 GAMES

The Buffalo Sabres gave up the first goal of the game nineteen seconds in. They would trail for the rest of the night, as the Sabres lost in Montreal, 6-1 to the Canadiens. It’s Buffalo’s eleventh straight loss.

The Coach is “almost at a loss for words” trying to figure out how to get the team to win hockey games. The General Manager will “go to war with the people in that room,” implying that no changes will be made. The owner reportedly flew to Montreal to tell the players and coaches that he believes in them and reiterated that there are no big moves coming in the near future. Perhaps that was in an effort to get the team to settle down and focus, but their play throughout the game proved a lack of focus, energy, and connectedness that bogged them down, yet again.

Eleven consecutive losses is the worst losing streak since the 2021 season, when they lost an NHL-record 18 straight games. Twelve losses into that streak, the Sabres fired Head Coach Ralph Krueger.

At this point, no one is pointing the finger at Lindy Ruff, who was hired this summer with the intention of holding the players accountable, giving them what they asked for last season. As he admitted, Ruff has changed his coaching tactics. He isn’t the same hardnosed, fiery coach that he was when Buffalo was making runs deep in the playoffs year after year 20 years ago. While his message may not be reaching this group of players, it is difficult to pin the tail on Ruff for the team’s recent failures.

The group he was given to work with, specifically those that have been signed to long term contracts and are “here to stay,” clearly isn’t good enough. They just don’t have what it takes to either play Ruff’s system or, flat out, at all to win a Stanley Cup, let alone win enough games to just make the playoffs. That roster was constructed by General Manager Kevyn Adams, and his front office staff, who stood up for the group five games into the losing streak, saying there was no need to panic.

I agree, it is a long season, but that would be acceptable to say if this team, as constructed, proved they wouldn’t have any extended losing skids to this point. They would be in the mix with Ottawa and Tampa Bay for the wild card spots. Instead, the reality is that the Sabres are about inches away from rock bottom, if 11 straight losses isn’t already it.

Buffalo hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center on Friday night at 7PM.

SHAUN DOLAC NAMED AP ALL AMERICAN FOR UB BULLS

University at Buffalo Bulls linebacker Shaun Dolac was named an All-American by three NCAA recognized organizations, making him the first unanimous All-American in UB Bulls History.

The West Seneca East High School graduate was given the honor by the Associated Press, the Football Writers Association of America, and the Walter Camp Football Foundation. Dolac led all Division I players in total tackles, with 159 in the regular season, while he was also the only linebacker in the country to record five interceptions.

Dolac and the Bulls will take on the Liberty Flames in the Bahamas Bowl on January 4th.

WEDNESDAY WHIP-AROUND

Time to check in on the Local College basketball scene with the ‘Wednesday Whip-Around’:

DIVISION I

Buffalo Bulls MBB: 5-5, Head Coach George Halcovage certainly didn’t hold back in scheduling top dogs in his second year at the helm of the program. The Bulls lost at Penn State to open the month and now head to Georgia for a meeting with the Bulldogs of UGA tomorrow night.

Buffalo Bulls WBB: 9-0, UB is one of nine DI teams across the country still undefeated. The toughest opponent on the Bulls’ non-conference slate rolls into town tomorrow as UB hosts Vermont for a 1PM matinee.

St. Bonaventure Bonnies MBB: 11-1, St. Bonaventure defeated Siena, 65-48, last night, for their fifth straight win. The Bonnies beat the UB Bulls 65-55 before taking down the Providence Friars 74-70 over the past weekend. BONA wraps up their non-conference schedule with the chance to sweep the Big Four, as they host the Niagara Purple Eagles on Saturday at 1PM.

St. Bonaventure Bonnies WBB: 4-6, Last night, they picked up a win over Big Four rival Niagara, 76-68, giving the Bonnies two out of three wins vs WNY foes. St. Bonaventure is at Robert Morris on Saturday at 4PM to close out their non-league slate.

Canisius Golden Griffins MBB: 0-11, Not much to say here… Canisius has suffered recent losses to Merrimack and Siena, starting the season 0-2 in conference play. The Griffs are at Loyola Chicago tonight at 8PM.

Canisius Golden Griffins WBB: 1-8, Tough times at the Koessler Athletic Centers these days… the WBB squad is on a six-game losing skid, with recent losses at Akron and Duquesne. The Griffs are at Merrimack tomorrow night to open league action.

Niagara Purple Eagles MBB: 5-6, NU has been finding a way to win close games. The Purple Eagles squeaked out a 69-68 win over Siena in their conference opener, before defeating Saint Francis 69-66 on Saturday. Niagara heads to Olean for a 1PM tip at St. Bonaventure Saturday.

Niagara Purple Eagles WBB: 1-7, In the last two weeks, the Purple Eagles dropped losses to Kent State (89-73) and at St. Bonaventure (76-68). NU begins MAAC play at home vs Siena on Thursday.

DIVISION II

Daemen Wildcats MBB: 9-0, The Wildcats are a national contender at the Division II level, as they took an impressive non-conference record and proceeded to blow out their first four league opponents. In wins over Staten Island, UDC, STAC, and Mercy, the Daemen men won by an average of 26 points per game. The Wildcats take a break from ECC action to be a part of the Doc Jacobs Classic in Vermont this weekend.

Daemen Wildcats WBB: 8-3, Similarly to the Daemen men’s team, the women’s team took a solid record vs non-league opponents and dove headfirst into ECC play, which they crushed, going 4-0 vs divisional foes. The Wildcats women are on their way to Honolulu for the Hoops In Hawai'i Classic this weekend.

D’Youville Saints MBB: 2-8, The Saints have lost five straight, including their first four league games.

D’Youville Saints WBB: 3-8, DYU snapped a six-game losing skid with a victory over STAC on Sunday. On December 6th, Saints’ Senior Anna Jankovic recorded the 1,000th point of her four-year career at D’Youville. The Saints play two non-league games in New Hampshire this weekend.

DIVISION III

Hilbert Hawks MBB: 8-3; WBB 0-11

Buffalo State Bengals MBB: 2-7; WBB 3-6

Fredonia State Blue Devils MBB: 1-7; WBB 4-4

JUCO

SUNY Niagara Thunderwolves MBB: 14-0; WBB 13-0

ECC Kats MBB: 7-5; WBB 2-11

JCC Jayhawks MBB: 4-10; WBB 8-2

USCAA

Villa Maria Vikings MBB: 11-2; WBB: 0-10

Bryant & Stratton (Buffalo) MBB: 5-4; WBB: 7-2