By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
At around 5 p.m. on Friday afternoon, during a meeting in Buffalo, Ric Seiling was fired as coach of the Buffalo Beauts, the National Women’s Hockey League team that is part of Pegula Sports and Entertainment.
At 7:05 p.m., Seiling was donning his headset and fulfilling his duties as radio analyst for the Rochester Americans.
That’s called dedication.
Seiling, who was six league games into his fourth season as head coach, said he was told by general manager Nik Fattey that the organization “was going in a different direction.”
The Beauts were 3-3 and two years ago won the NWHL championship. They reached the finals three straight years. They just completed a four-game exhibition series against the Russian National team, going 1-3 (scores of 3-4, 7-1, 1-4, 2-4).
“I enjoyed when was coaching the girls, it was rewarding,” Seiling said during intermission of the Amerks game against the Providence Bruins. “We pushed women’s hockey in Buffalo forward.”
Seiling’s full-time job is with M&T Bank where he is vice president/regional manager dealer commercial services. He melded the 18-game NWHL schedule and practices, along with his duties as Amerks analyst, into his schedule.
The former Sabres forward is in his 16th season as Don Stevens’ home partner on broadcasts. He said he never considered not doing Friday’s game.
Following the meeting in Buffalo, where Beauts assistant coach Craig Muni was also fired, he drove to Rochester for the Amerks game.
“I enjoy doing this, I enjoy watching the Amerks,” Seiling said. “I always joke, I can watch a hockey game, get my two cents in and nobody argues with me.”
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