BUFFALO – Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who suffered a lower-body injury early in Tuesday’s 7-4 road win, will be sidelined at least a week, coach Lindy Ruff said.
“Then we’ll look at it after that,” Ruff said this morning in KeyBank Center.
The Sabres have five games left before the Olympic break, starting with tonight’s against the Los Angeles Kings.
After next Thursday’s home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Sabres don’t play again until Feb. 25.
Luukkonen, of course, is on Team Finland’s roster for the upcoming Milano Cortina Games.
Ruff said the Sabres haven’t discussed his status for the Olympics.
“Really don’t want to rule it out or rule it however we have to rule it,” he said. “Let’s just see where we get by early next week.”
Luukkonen, 26, left Tuesday’s game in Toronto after Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews scored 10:49 into the game.
He has battled injuries this season, missing time in training camp and again early in the campaign.
He has compiled an 11-7-2 record with a 2.73 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage in 21 games this season.
Goalie Alex Lyon is expected to start tonight’s contest.