Buffalo Beauts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buffalo Beauts |
|
|---|---|
 2022–23 Buffalo Beauts season |
|
 |
|
| City | Amherst, New York |
| League | Premier Hockey Federation |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Home arena | Northtown Center |
| Colors | Blue, black, silver, white |
| Owner(s) | NLTT Ventures, LLC, Top Tier Sports (Andy Scurto, governor) |
| General manager | Nathaniel Oliver |
| Head coach | Rhea Coad |
| Captain | Dominique Kremer |
| Media | 716 Sports Podcast / WBNY The Buffalo News |
| Championships | |
| Playoff championships | 2016–17 |
The Buffalo Beauts are a professional ice hockey team. They are based in Amherst, New York, in the United States. The team started in 2015. They were one of the four original teams in the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF). This league was first called the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL). The Beauts play their home games at Northtown Center. For their first four seasons, they played at Harborcenter in downtown Buffalo. The team has reached the Isobel Cup Finals four times. They won the championship in the 2016–17 season.
Contents
The Beauts' Journey: A Team History
How the Beauts Began
The Buffalo Beauts held their first tryouts in May 2015. This was a chance for players to join the team. In July 2015, the Beauts signed Brianne McLaughlin. She was a two-time Olympic goaltender for Team USA. She was the first player to sign a contract with the team.
The Beauts played their first game on October 11, 2015. They lost 4–1 to the Boston Pride. Later that month, Brianna Decker of the Boston Pride scored three goals. This was the first "hat trick" in NWHL history. A hat trick is when one player scores three goals in a single game.
First Playoff Run and Championship Win
The Beauts finished third in their first regular season. In the playoffs for the first-ever Isobel Cup, they played the Connecticut Whale. The Whale had beaten the Beauts every time in the regular season. But the Beauts surprised everyone! They won two games in a row to beat the Whale. This sent them to the championship series. However, they lost to the Boston Pride in the finals.
On October 7, 2016, Beauts player Harrison Browne made history. He shared that he is a transgender man. This made him the first openly transgender athlete in American professional team sports. That same year, the Beauts won the 2016–17 Isobel Cup Championship. They beat the defending champion Boston Pride in an exciting upset. This was a big win for Buffalo. It was the city's first professional hockey championship since 1970.
New Players and Ownership Changes
On August 31, 2017, the Beauts added three star players. They signed Jess Jones, Sarah Edney, and Rebecca Vint. These players came from another league, the CWHL.
On December 21, 2017, something big happened. Pegula Sports and Entertainment (PSE) bought the Beauts. PSE also owns the Buffalo Bills (football) and Buffalo Sabres (hockey). This made the Beauts the first NWHL team not owned by the league itself. It was also the first women's pro hockey team in North America owned by the same group as its city's NHL team. This was a huge step for women's hockey.
In June 2018, the Beauts signed Team Canada goaltender Shannon Szabados. She had played professional hockey in men's leagues. She was the first woman to get a shutout in a men's league. A shutout means the goalie stops all shots and the other team scores no goals.
Challenges and New Beginnings
In May 2019, PSE gave ownership of the team back to the NWHL. This happened after many women's hockey players went on strike. They wanted better conditions for all players. Under PSE, the Beauts had shared training facilities with the Sabres. Szabados said these good facilities were what other players were fighting for.
The Beauts had great attendance when they played at Harborcenter. It was the largest arena in the NWHL. But after PSE gave up ownership, the team needed a new place to play. PSE still owned the Beauts' team name and logo for a while. This caused some confusion. But the team eventually kept its name. They moved their home games to the Northtown Center in Amherst.
The 2020–21 NWHL season was different because of the COVID-19 pandemic. All games were played in one location in Lake Placid, New York. But the season ended early because of COVID-19 cases. The Beauts were not able to play in the playoffs that year.
On June 28, 2021, the league announced a new owner for the Beauts. The team was sold to a group called NLTT Ventures, LLC, and Top Tier Sports. Andy Scurto became the team's governor.
Team Leaders and Coaches
Team Captains
The team captain is a very important player. They lead the team on the ice.
- Emily Pfalzer, 2015–2017
- Corinne Buie, 2017–2020
- Taylor Accursi, 2020–21
- Marie-Jo Pelletier, 2021-22
- Dominique Kremer, 2022–present
Head Coaches
The head coach guides the team's strategy and training.
- Shelley Looney, Ric Seiling 2015–2016
- Ric Seiling and Craig Muni, 2016–2018
- Cody McCormick, 2018–2019
- Pete Perram, 2019–2021
- Rhea Coad, 2021–present
General Managers
The general manager helps build the team and handles many business decisions.
- Nik Fattey, 2016–2019
- Cody McCormick, 2019
- Mandy Cronin, 2019–2020
- Nate Oliver, 2020–present
Coaching Staff and Team Personnel
- Head coach: Rhea Coad
- Assistant coach: Julia DiTondo
- Assistant coach: Mark Zarbo
- Goaltending coach: Shane Madolora
- Video & analytics: Chris Baudo
Beauts in the Media
You can read about the Buffalo Beauts in The Buffalo News. Their home games are also broadcast live by 716 Sports Podcast. Steve Bermel does the play-by-play, and Justen Ehrig gives color commentary. Games are also streamed live online.
Team Achievements: Franchise Milestones
These are some special moments in the Beauts' history.
| Milestone | Player | Date |
| First goal | Kelley Steadman | October 11, 2015 |
| First win | Brianne McLaughlin | November 29, 2015 |
| First Isobel Cup goal | Shelby Bram | March 11, 2016 |
| First championship MVP | Brianne McLaughlin | March 19, 2017 |
| First shutout | Amanda Leveille | January 27, 2018 |
Awards and Honors
Many Beauts players have won special awards for their great play.
- Megan Bozek, 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Award
- Maddie Elia, 2019 Most Valuable Player
- Hayley Scamurra, 2019 Scoring Champion, 2019 Players' Top Player of the Year
- Shannon Szabados, 2019 Goaltender of the Year
- Blake Bolden, 2019 Defender of the Year
- Carly Jackson, 2021 Foundation Award, 2021 Fans' Three Stars
