(Dominique Kremer Featured Above)
BUFFALO – The Buffalo Beauts have announced their team captains for the 2022-23 Premier Hockey Federation season. Joining team captain Dominique Kremer – who was announced back on September 22 as wearing the “C” – are veteran forwards Cassidy MacPherson and Claudia Kepler who will both wear “A’s” as alternate captains. Kepler is in her second season with the Beauts and is in the first year of a 2-year contract. MacPherson in the longest tenured Beauts player and is in her fourth season with the team on a 1- year contract.
“I can’t believe I’m entering my fourth season as a Beaut!” said MacPherson. “It’s really special to be part of an organization that truly cares about you not only as a hockey player but as a person as well. What Nate and the coaching staff are building in Buffalo is something special and there is truly no other organization I would want to be a part of. I’m honored to have been selected as an alternate captain this season, and I think that the Beauts are going to shock a lot of people with what we can do.”
MacPherson is 6-14-20 for scoring in 50 regular season games for Buffalo. She has spent her entire professional career with the Beauts beginning with the 2019-20 season. MacPherson is on pace to set the Beauts’ franchise record for most games played in team history during the 2022-23 season. She was
awarded the team’s Unsung Hero Award as voted by her Beauts teammates during the 2021-22 PHF season.
Kepler went 3-0-3 in eight regular season games for Buffalo last season. Her three goals came off of just13 shots on net, and her .214 shooting percentage tied her for third best in the PHF. Kepler is an experienced winner. She spent the 2019-20 season with the KRS Vanke Rays Shenzhen in Russia’s women’s professional hockey league, the ЖХЛ. Kepler went 8-9-17 in 24 games while helping to lead KRS to the championship over Ufa Agidel.
Kepler spoke on the strength of Kremer, MacPherson and herself as captains.
“As a leadership group we want the team to know that we are always there for them, and that our team culture and how we treat one another is what is important to all of us,” said Kepler. “As captains, we know that each of us bring both similar and different types of leadership skills and strengths. I’m excited to see us further unify as a group and work together.”
Similarly to Kepler, Kremer is on a 2-year contract with the Beauts as well. She sees the trio’s leadership as being paramount to Buffalo’s overall success.
“Better alternate captains could not have been chosen in my opinion,” said Kremer. “Both Cass and Claudia embody the culture of what it means to be a Buffalo Beaut. They completely round out our leadership core, and I believe they counterbalance me in the best ways possible. I’m so excited to be working alongside them in our trek to win the Isobel Cup!”
The Beauts open the 2022-23 PHF Season by playing host to the Montreal Force. The game will be held on Saturday November 5 at 7:00pm EDT inside of the Northtown Center. Tickets for the event can be purchased at https://beauts.goigniter.com.
(Photos by Janet Schultz Photography/NY Hockey OnLine)
