BUFFALO – Following nearly a month on the sideline, Sabres goalie Colten Ellis is expected to start tonight’s road game against the New York Rangers, his first outing since suffering a concussion Dec. 9 in Edmonton.
A lot has happened since the rookie left the Sabres’ 4-3 overtime victory against the Oilers, a triumph that ignited a 10-game win streak.
Alex Lyon, who replaced Ellis, morphed into the NHL’s hottest goalie before suffering a lower-body injury. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has made a strong push to reclaim the No. 1 job, going 4-1-0 in his last five starts.
But with a dizzying schedule – the Sabres are in a stretch of 17 games over 31 days – Luukkonen needs a breather.
“You look at this stretch we’re entering, not to get ahead, but you got a lot of games coming up, so you won’t even be talking about whether he’ll sit around,” said Sabres coach Lindy Ruff, who refuses to reveal his starting netminder.
So Ellis, 25, will likely play tonight. He practiced Wednesday in the net normally reserved for the next day’s starter.
Ellis, a waiver claim before the season, has compiled a 4-3-0 record with a 3.25 goals-against average and an .895 save percentage in his first eight NHL games.
Ellis said a week into his concussion recovery, he started “feeling pretty good.”
Meanwhile, Ruff said Lyon, who was injured Dec. 29, is “progressing.”
“I would anticipate within seven to 10 days he may be ready, too,” Ruff said in KeyBank Center. “It’s actually been a blessing that we’ve had the third guy.”
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Ruff said Sabres center Jiri Kulich, who hasn’t played since Nov. 1 because of blood clot issues, is “progressing.”
He said has no timeline for Kulich’s return. He hopes the Czech can play again this season.
“I wouldn’t rule it out, but I can’t say he’s going to, for sure,” Ruff said. “I think it’s just medication and just see where it goes.”
Ruff said Kulich, 21, possibly “put his skates on for a random loop in sweats.”
“But nothing major,” he said.
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Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin and defenseman Adam Fox are both sidelined indefinitely after suffering lower-body injuries in Monday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth.