The Buffalo Sabres continue to slide down the standings, as they've lost seven games in a row and have won just once in their last 12 games. Through 27 games this season, the Sabres sit with a 8-15-4 record.
Young goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen continues to be one of the few bright spots over the past few games for the Sabres. Through three games since being called up from the Rochester Americans, Luukkonen has allowed just six goals-against on 96 shots faced, giving him a save percentage of .938.
During his weekly appearance on the “Howard and Jeremy Show”, Sabres head coach Don Granato is liking what he's seeing from the 22-year-old netminder.
“He looks better from the standpoint of reading shooters better, reading situations better and holding his ground better," Granato said while chatting with Howard Simon and Jeremy White. "Those are all confidence things... he regained it down in Rochester. This is his second set of games, and he’s shown tremendous progress.”
While Granato did not confirm during the "Howard and Jeremy Show" that Luukkonen would play on Tuesday against the Jets, he will make his fourth-consecutive start at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.
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Meanwhile, the Sabres will be without forward Casey Mittelstadt for the long-term after undergoing surgery last week. When asked about his initial prognosis after surgery, Granato was optimistic about possibly getting back his 23-year-old center.
“He will be back this season, but I’m not gonna give a timetable," Granato said. "This is good news from what we were looking at potentially. I just don’t have a definitive date that we are looking at for a return.”
Tuesday's faceoff between the Sabres and Jets is set for 8 p.m. EST with pregame coverage on WGR starting at 7 p.m. EST with Brian Koziol.
You can listen to Granato’s entire interview during the “Howard and Jeremy Show” below:
