Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – In Thursday’s episode of "Buffalo Sabres Daily Roster Management", goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was recalled from the Rochester Americans, while winger Jack Quinn was sent down.
Just like on Monday when Luukkonen was sent down, Quinn wasn’t playing on Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets because of various reasons.
Sabres head coach Don Granato wanted him and JJ Peterka to sit for two games. Granato said both rookies will likely play Saturday in Nashville against the Predators.
One of the biggest reasons Granato wanted Quinn and Peterka to sit two games is fatigue that he’s seen in them that hits many players in their first NHL season.
“They were still generating, they were still showing the skill, there were still opportunities to make plays. They just didn’t do it," said Granato following the morning skate.
“I think based on potential fatigue, their ability to execute is where you saw the fatigue. When you have a younger player and there’s fatigue, they don’t know how to offset it, and we thought this was a great opportunity for us give them a moment to recharge and break that rhythm, which has become a grind."
Buffalo is 13-6-2 in its last 21 games, but the Sabres have lost three of their last five. Buffalo is also a very poor 9-10-2 at home this season.
In their current two-game losing streak, the Sabres have only scored three goals. They’ve allowed 17 goals in their last four games.
“I think we got in our head the last couple of games," Granato said. "We played with a little hesitation and a little bit of fear, and we’ve got to get rid of that.
“We can’t worry about things and hesitate, or think because we’re down a goal, we’re in trouble. We just can’t have that mentality, and I think that creeped in over the last couple of games.”
Luukkonen has won his last six starts and eight of his last nine. He has given up nine goals in his last two starts. There was no question that in his last nine games, he has earned the right to remain with the Sabres.
The 23-year-old is very happy that it has gone that way for him.
“It’s a great feeling," said Luukkonen on Thursday. "That’s what you put your work towards, to be able to play here. What makes it better is I feel like I’ve been able to help the team win, and that’s the biggest part of being a goalie, and what I’m most happy about.”
Mattias Samuelsson didn’t see the ice for the final 7:39 of Tuesday’s game. The defenseman wasn’t injured, but Granato says it was many circumstances that came into play.
“We had a power play with five minutes left or so, and then we were looking at three minutes left, pulling a goalie. We’re down two goals in a real offensive position," he said. "I think Clague probably got a few more minutes, so it was in the moment, who’s going that is maybe feeling it, and specifically to our needs. And we needed [to be] a little bit more offensive, at that point.”
The Jets had won five-straight games before losing in Detroit on Thursday, 7-5. In the first four wins of that streak, Winnipeg had only surrendered seven goals. They’ve now given up 11 in their last two.
Pierre-Luc Dubois has a seven-game scoring streak, where he has four goals and seven assists for 11 points. Overall, Dubois has 19 goals and 29 assists for 48 points in 41 games.
Kyle Connor is Winnipeg's leading scorer with 20 goals and 30 assists for 50 points. He has a seven-game point streak, scoring five goals and seven assists for 12 points.
Connor Hellebuyck has a very high save percentage of .924, which is currently third in the NHL. Hellebuyck has played six of the Jets' last seven games, and did give up six goals to the Red Wings. Before that, the big goaltender had only allowed 15 goals in eight games.
Winnipeg has a good road record this season at 10-8-1. Their overall points percentage of .646 has them ninth in the NHL, while the Sabres are 20th.
Join Schopp and the Bulldog for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 6 p.m. EST when you’ll hear from Granato, Luukkonen and Jeff Skinner.
