Funny game, hockey. Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had his way with the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night in Philadelphia. Last night, he started his second straight game on home ice against the same team. Different story.
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In this edition of Sabres’ News & Rumors, I’ll share how quickly a team game like hockey can change – almost literally overnight.
Item One: Luukkonen Has a Tough Night in the Crease
On Wednesday (Nov. 1), Luukkonen made 38 saves in a 5-2 victory and pushed his season’s record to 3-1-0 record with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. On Friday, same team but a different deal.
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Luukkonen had a tough night against the Flyers, stopping only 14 of 19 shots in a 5-1 loss. Given his inability to stop pucks, the Sabres found themselves in a 2-0 hole less than two minutes into the game. The offense couldn’t come back and Luukkonen, who had been playing really well, couldn’t stop much of anything anyway.
Given that rookie goalie Devon Levi is returning from an injury, look for him to start against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight on the road. It would seem that it’s time for Luukkonen to get some time off to rest and watch.
Item Two: Henri Jokiharju Scores Only Sabres Goal
Henri Jokiharju managed to score the lone goal for the Sabres in their 5-1 loss to the Flyers. Jokiharju had a season-high 21 minutes and three seconds of ice time on Friday, partly due to Mattias Samuelsson’s early departure from the game due to a lower-body injury. His goal was Jokiharju’s first of the season, adding to his five assists in 11 games.
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If Samuelsson is sidelined, look for Jokiharju to see increased minutes in a top-four role. In addition to his offensive contributions, the 24-year-old Jokiharju has 19 blocked shots, 13 shots on goal, and a solid plus-5 rating while playing a stay-at-home role on the Sabres’ blue line.
Item Three: Casey Mittelstadt Gets an Assist
Casey Mittelstadt registered an assist in Friday’s 5-1 loss to the Flyers. Mittelstadt is warming up this season. He’s been on a three-game point streak, scoring two goals and adding two assists during that span. Despite his consistent offensive production, the 24-year-old center had a season-low ice time of 14 minutes and 10 seconds on Friday. My guess is that was because the score was so one-sided so quickly.
In 11 games, Mittelstadt has scored three goals and added seven assists for 10 points. He also has put up a plus-2 rating. He’s becoming a trustworthy two-way player for this team.
Item Four: JJ Peterka Registers an Assist
John-Jason (JJ) Peterka contributed an assist, which extended his point streak to four games. In that span, he’s scored two goals and added two assists. In his 11 games on the season, Peterka has put up six points in total.
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The young winger has been put in a top-line role during even-strength play. That’s partly because Sabres’ Alex Tuch has had such a slow start to the season alongside Tage Thompson.
Item Five: Sabres Injury Report
Mattias Samuelsson sustained a lower-body injury during Friday’s game and didn’t return to the game. He had only played for two minutes and 30 seconds in the first period before he had to leave. Look for the Sabres to provide an update on his condition before their game tonight against Toronto. Thus far on the season, Samuelsson has four points in 11 games.
Zach Benson was been placed on injured reserve by the Sabres due to a lower-body injury. He’s considered week-to-week. The 18-year-old, who was the 13th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, has recorded two assists in six games with the Sabres this season.
It’s possible that Buffalo could send Benson to the WHL when he’s ready to return.
What’s Next for the Buffalo Sabres?
Tonight the Sabres meet the Toronto Maple Leafs on the road in Toronto. On paper, each team is experiencing a different start to the season. The Sabres hold a 5-6 record, which places them second from the bottom in the Atlantic Division. On the other hand, the Maple Leafs have a 5-3-2 record, positioning them as the third-best team in the division.
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Digging more deeply, a 5-3-2 record means that the Maple Leafs have lost as many games as they’ve won. Both teams are eager to get a win to move up the standings. The Maple Leafs would seem to have the better goaltending. However, as it happened on Friday night with Luukkonen, sometimes hockey just doesn’t make logical sense.