In need of spark, Sabres turn to rookie Konsta Helenius versus Canadiens

MONTREAL – A week ago, shortly after center Konsta Helenius arrived in Buffalo to serve as a Black Ace, the Sabres promoted the rookie to the main practice group.

While the Sabres boast depth up front, Helenius, who turned 20 on Monday, is a high-end young talent. By moving him up, they illustrated he could be an option during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

On Tuesday, in Game 4 of the Sabres’ second-round series, Helenius made make his NHL postseason debut against the Canadiens in the Bell Centre.

The Sabres, who began the night trailing the best-of-seven series 2-1, needed a spark after suffering two straight four-goal losses.

“I was expecting the call up, but not to play right away,” said Helenius, the 14th overall pick in 2024.

The speedy Finn centered Jason Zucker and Jack Quinn. Center Ryan McLeod moved the to fourth line between Jordan Greenway and Beck Malenstyn. To make room for the youngster, the Sabres scratched center Sam Carrick.

Helenius, whose 62 points in 63 games this season tied for the Rochester Americans’ lead with defenseman Zac Jones, played his first nine NHL games leading up to the Olympic break earlier this season.

The Sabres’ top forward prospect left a positive impression, scoring one goal and four points.

“He’s a talented kid that produced some offense,” Ruff said. “He made plays. He made plays at the American League level.”

Helenius has developed into a special player in Rochester. Even in his second season with the Amerks, he still ranked among the AHL’s youngest players.

With recalls, injuries and trades decimating the lineup, he took on big minutes and more responsibility, morphing into one of the Amerks’ drivers. He scored 21 goals, the team’s second-highest total.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Helenius said he got “faster and stronger this season.”

“It was much easier to come here second year,” he said. “You know the coaches, you know the players, so it was just much easier.”

Helenius has excelled in the postseason as a pro. Last season, he scored three goals and six points in eight games for the Amerks in the Calder Cup Playoffs. This year, he registered two goals and three points in three contests.

At just 17 in 2023-24, he thrived for Jukurit, a top-tier pro team in Liiga, scoring two goals and six points in six games.

“It’s different, but it helps me, too,” he said of his experience.

The NHL postseason, of course, is a different beast.

The Sabres made two other lineup changes, inserting goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and veteran defenseman Luke Schenn, a two-time Cup winner who offers some muscle.

Prior to the game, Ruff refused to acknowledge any changes based on the morning skate.

When a reporter started Ruff’s news conference by asking about Schenn, 36, the coach replied, “How do you know he’s playing?”

Schenn, a depth acquisition before the trade deadline, hadn’t played since April 15. He took shifts alongside different defensemen. To make room for Schenn, the Sabres scratched defenseman Logan Stanley, who struggled in Sunday’s 6-2 loss.

What has Ruff seen from Schenn over the past month?

“Just a guy trying to stay ready to play,” he said.

Ruff, who usually offers long answers and often displays his quick wit, became “Playoff Lindy” prior to Game 4, giving short replies in a serious tone.

“The mood is awesome,” he replied to a question about, well, his team’s mood. “We’ve been challenged all year long. It’s another challenge. We know we haven’t played our best game, and we know we know we need to play our best tonight.”

Following Sunday’s ugly loss, changes were expected.

Changing goalies is nothing new. Luukkonen and Alex Lyon formed a dynamic tandem for much of the season, often alternating starts.

“It’s what we are,” Ruff said. “It’s what we’ve been the whole year.”

Lyon performed splendidly after taking over for an ineffective Luukkonen in Game 2 of the Sabres’ first-round series against the Boston Bruins.

Ruff has also defended him twice since Game 3, saying he had nothing to do with the loss.

Luukkonen, who hadn’t played since April 21, compiled a 1-1 record with a 4.19 goals-against average and an .825 save percentage against Boston.

Lyon replaced him not long after he allowed a goal from around center ice.

“You know what has worked to this point, what has been successful this year and you kind of try to go back to those details and work on that part of your game and just get comfortable with your game,” Luukkonen said of how he spent his time backing up Lyon.

Luukkonen called Lyon “a true professional.”

“He’s intense and he wants to win as much as anybody else and so do I,” he said. “But he’s played good hockey this year I feel like, personally, especially during the regular season. I had good games, too, so just I think the partnership this year has been working really well.

“He has carried some water in these playoffs and he has played really well, too.”

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The NHL on Tuesday suspended Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy six games for slashing winger Zach Benson on May 1 late in the Sabres’ 4-2 win in Boston.

As the players raced into the Boston zone on a potential icing call, Benson tripped McAvoy, sending him sliding into the end boards 18:29 into the third period of Game 6.

An incensed McAvoy immediately got up and went after Benson, giving him a two-hand whack and igniting a melee.

McAvoy, who had an in-person hearing, has been suspended twice and fined once in his career.

Notes: The NHL has announced a potential Game 6 on Saturday in Montreal would start at 8 p.m. … Carrick, who returned on Sunday from a left-arm injury that sidelined him 15 games, clearly wasn’t 100 percent in his first action since March 31. The Sabres’ top faceoff man won just two of his eight draws. Sabres center Josh Dunne and defenseman Zach Metsa skated in the pregame warm-up but did not play.