Luukkonen - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres blow leads as Sidney Crosby and Penguins spoil JJ Peterka’s return

PITTSBURGH – Where do you start with this one? The Buffalo Sabres blew an early two-goal lead before roaring back late to go up again after superstar Evgeni Malkin’s 500th goal put the Penguins ahead and seemingly seized all the momentum.

In the end, the Sabres earned one point for Wednesday’s wildly entertaining 6-5 overtime loss in PPG Paints Arena.

Still, the setback surely stings. The Sabres led 2-0 led by the 2:08 mark, 3-1 ... Read the full article

Sabres’ JJ Peterka could return from concussion against Penguins

PITTSBURGH – Buffalo Sabres winger JJ Peterka, out since suffering a concussion Oct. 5, is available to play tonight against the Penguins, coach Lindy Ruff said this morning.

The German has missed the last two games. If he returns, Ruff did not say which player would be scratched.

Peterka, 22, played the first two games at left wing on the top line alongside center Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch. He left the lineup when New ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Devon Levi off to hot start in retro gear, pushing UPL for games

BUFFALO – Sabres goalie Devon Levi has a strong appreciation for hockey history and the netminders he watched growing up and who played decades before him.

So Levi, 22, always wanted to sport a retro look that resembles the leather equipment goalies wore until the early 1990s.

During a trip to CCM headquarters in Saint-Laurent, Quebec, a borough of Montreal about 20 minutes from his offseason home, Levi spotted a pair of brown demo pads ... Read the full article

Sabres can’t finish chances, unravel late in loss to Kings: ‘I do feel snake bit’

BUFFALO – The Sabres performed a heck of a lot better in Thursday’s home opener than they did overseas. It was hardly a perfect effort, mind you. But they put together a terrific 40 minutes, showcasing speed and tenacity while generating loads of scoring chances in the first two periods.

Following two underwhelming outings to open the season, coach Lindy Ruff believes the Sabres played close to their identity throughout the night.

What do they ... Read the full article

Adversity in Rochester helped Sabres’ Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen develop into top NHL goalie

BUFFALO – It’s hardly surprising Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen established himself as one of the NHL’s elite starters down the stretch last season. As a teenager, he emerged as a dynamic prospect, earning the label as the Sabres’ goalie of the future.

The Finn was expected to develop into a special talent.

No one, however, likely anticipated his path to becoming the Sabres’ No. 1 netminder would be fraught with so much adversity.... Read the full article

Ducks claim goalie James Reimer off waivers from Sabres

James Reimer won’t be going to the Rochester Americans. The Anaheim Ducks on Monday claimed the veteran goalie off waivers from the Buffalo Sabres.

The Sabres signed Reimer to a one-year, one-way contract worth $1 million – a significant salary for a player they hoped to assign to the minors – to provide insurance. In Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, 25, and Devon Levi, 22, the Sabres have one of the league’s youngest goalie tandems.

Reimer, 36, served ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Alex Tuch motivated after down season: ‘I know I need to be better’

BUFFALO – Alex Tuch always starts with himself. The Sabres winger knows he underperformed last season, failing to meet high expectations following his career year. Then he looks at the entire team and challenges everyone to be better.

The disappointment he experienced last season – his own struggles and the Sabres’ lackluster 84-point finish – drives him.

“First and foremost, I know I need to be better,” Tuch said last month after training camp opened ... Read the full article

Devon Levi happy to compete with UPL, sharp as Sabres beat Blue Jackets

BUFFALO – For years, Sabres goalie Devon Levi has been a workhorse, starting game after game.

At Northeastern, Levi played 89 percent of the Huskies’ games. After turning pro late in 2022-23, he started seven of the Sabres’ final eight contests and the first four last season before suffering an injury.

When Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen seized the No. 1 job late last fall, the Sabres assigned Levi to the Rochester Americans to play regularly, occasionally recalling ... Read the full article

JJ Peterka scores hat trick, shows star qualities as Sabres throttle Penguins

BUFFALO – Let’s temper any excitement over the Sabres’ 7-3 win and winger JJ Peterka’s hat trick in Saturday’s preseason opener by noting the Pittsburgh Penguins brought their B or C squad to KeyBank Center.

The Sabres, meanwhile, dressed what resembled a regular-season lineup featuring perhaps their top two lines and No. 1 goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

An emphatic victory was almost expected. Following a slow start, the Sabres began annihilating the visitors, scoring five times ... Read the full article

Sabres preseason: Buffalo to dress most of regulars, give Jiri Kulich first chance

BUFFALO – When coach Lindy Ruff said most of the Sabres’ regulars would dress for the preseason opener, he wasn’t kidding.

Tonight’s roster resembles a regular-season lineup, with perhaps the entire first and second lines playing against the Pittsburgh Penguins at KeyBank Center.

Assistant coach Seth Appert said No. 1 goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will start and go the distance.

While the lineup mostly features established talent, rookie winger Jiri Kulich will receive his first action ... Read the full article