(WGR 550) – If Wednesday's practice was any indication, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will be in goal on Thursday night when the Buffalo Sabres face the Bruins in Boston. Luukkonen had his own net, while Craig Anderson and Eric Comrie shared the other net.
Since coming back from the break, things have not gone well for Luukkonen. He’s 2-2-0 with a 5.32 goals-against average and an .852 save percentage. As a team, the Sabres are third-worst in the NHL during that time period with a 4.22 goals-against average.
Luukkonen has given up four or more goals in four of his last five games.
“Maybe my game hasn’t been as good as it was before the break, but we try to look past the numbers and see what’s behind it," said Luukkonen following practice on Wednesday. "In the end, the game against Toronto [Maple Leafs] is one you want to wipe off your memory, but then see what I did right against Washington [Capitals] and how hard I played against San Jose [Sharks] and do those similar things.”
Luukkonen and goalie coach Mike Bales are constantly going over games together. All goals go against the goalies, but there are goals that are a goalie’s fault and there are others that aren’t.
“Just one mistake from one player, the goalie or the defenseman or a forward, so there’s always a lot more that goes into the goals," Luukkonen said. "But as a goalie, you always want to look first-and-foremost at what you did right or what you did wrong. Everybody’s game affects you too, so you have to see that side of the game too.”
All goalies in the NHL realize that during a long season, there are going to be some good times and some bad times. Luukkonen says there are ways to get through that.
“What helps the most is that we’re still pushing towards the playoffs, and when you’re in a situation like that, the game is and the games comes," he said. "But in the end, if you win or lose, you have to look to the next one and that’s all that matters. That’s the biggest part, just do the things to help the team win.”
The Bruins are 24-2-3 at home this season, but on New Year’s Eve, the Sabres went into Boston and came away with a 4-3 overtime victory. Luukkonen stopped 37-of-40 shots for the win. That was also a game where Luukkonen had to face five Boston power plays.
“It was a really good game from us," Luukkonen said looking back on that win. "Even though we were losing at the end, we fought, kept the game close, had a big penalty kill at the end, and got the goal in overtime. So it was one of those games where we showed how good of a team we are, and that’s what we’ll try to replicate.”
Boston was leading 3-2 in the third period, but Dylan Cozens tied the game at 3-3 at the 18:23 mark, and Alex Tuch netted the overtime winner. The Sabres actually had to kill off three penalties in the third period, giving up one goal.
Sabres head coach Don Granato says the reason they won that game is because they had conviction and intent to get pucks and bodies to the net. He felt that was missing in Tuesday’s loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Buffalo has won four-straight on the road, and are 7-1-1 in their last nine.
Tage Thompson has points in seven-straight games, and has five goals in his last four games. He and Bruins winger David Pastrnak are tied for fourth in league scoring with 80 points. Pastrnak is second in goals with 42, while Thompson is third with 41.
Granato said on Wednesday defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is back skating on his own, but will not play Thursday against the Bruins.
Riley Stillman was in the morning skate in Boston, but can’t play if his immigration status isn’t cleared up by 5 p.m. EST.
Jeremy Swayman will be in net for Boston, as former Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark has yet to play against Buffalo this season. Swayman is 15-4-4 this year with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.
Boston has been red-hot all season, but they’re extra hot right now, winning eight-straight games. The Bruins did have some travel involved, as they played in Edmonton on Monday, Calgary on Tuesday and are home on Thursday.
Taylor Hall is on long-term Injured Reserve, but the newest Bruins acquisitions from the Washington Capitals, Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway, will play.
Join Mike Schopp for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 6 p.m. EST when you’ll hear from Granato, Luukkonen and Stillman.
