Buffalo Beauts | |
---|---|
2016–17 Buffalo Beauts season | |
City | Buffalo, New York |
League | National Women's Hockey League |
Founded | 2015 |
Home arena | HarborCenter |
Colors |
Blue, Black, Silver, White |
Owner(s) | NWHL |
General manager | Ric Seiling |
Head coach | Ric Seiling |
Captain | Emily Pfalzer |
Media | 716 Sports Podcast / WBNY The Buffalo News NWHL Cross Ice Pass (On YouTube) |
Website | Official Website |
Blue, Black, Silver, White
The Buffalo Beauts is a professional women's ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. It is one of the four charter franchises of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL).
The Beauts play at HarborCenter in Buffalo, which is across the street from and connected to KeyBank Center, the home of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres. The Beauts held their first-ever summer free agent camp on May 23 and May 24, 2015. In July 2015, the Beauts signed free agent and 2-time Team USA Olympic goaltender Brianne McLaughlin, making her the first player in franchise history to sign a contract with the franchise.
Of note, the team made its debut at home on October 11, 2015 in a 4–1 loss versus the Boston Pride. During a 5–3 home loss against the Boston Pride on October 25, 2015, Brianne McLaughlin allowed three goals by Brianna Decker, resulting in the first hat trick in NWHL history.
The Beauts would finish the regular season third out of four teams, beating out the New York Riveters. In the semi-finals for the inaugural Isobel Cup championships, the Beauts faced off against the Connecticut Whale. The Connecticut had a perfect record against the Beauts in the regular season. The Beauts would go on to upset the Whale by winning the last two games, going on to face the Boston Pride in the finals. There, they would drop two games in succession and finish second in the playoffs.
On October 7, 2016, Beauts forward Harrison Browne came out as a transgender man and thus became the first openly transgender athlete in professional American team sports.
Updated October 7, 2016
Courtney Burke from the Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey program became the first player in franchise history to be selected in the inaugural 2015 NWHL Draft. Raised in the state capital of Albany, New York, Burke was also the first defenseman selected in NWHL Draft history.