The Buffalo Sabres hit a snag Wednesday night when starting goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen left their preseason game against Pittsburgh with what the team’s calling a lower-body injury.
It’s the same issue that’s been bothering the 26-year-old throughout training camp.
Luukkonen managed to play the full first period, stopping 11 of 12 shots before heading to the locker room. That’s at least a small bright spot for worried Sabres fans.
The team’s not exactly caught off guard by this setback. They’d already brought in Alexander Georgiev on a one-year deal earlier this month as insurance. They’ve also got Alex Lyon locked up for two years – he turned heads last season proving himself as a legitimate NHL goalie with Detroit.
But here’s where things get interesting.
The Sabres just sent top prospect Devon Levi down to their AHL team in Rochester, but he might not be there long. If Luukkonen’s injury lingers, we could see Levi back in Buffalo sooner rather than later.
A Lyon-Georgiev tandem in net isn’t exactly what the Sabres had in mind. Not when they’re finally trying to make some noise in the standings this season.
The next few days will be crucial. Buffalo’s front office will be watching Luukkonen’s recovery closely as they lock in their final roster before October’s regular season kicks off.
For a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2011 – the longest drought in the NHL – starting the season without their No. 1 goalie isn’t exactly the opening chapter they were hoping to write.
