BUFFALO – In the waning minutes of Tuesday’s 3-2 win in Montreal, with the Sabres clinging to a one-goal lead against the Canadiens, coach Lindy Ruff kept utilizing center Konsta Helenius at critical moments on hockey’s grandest stage.
Normally a rookie playing just his 10th NHL game and first in the Stanley Cup Playoffs would be nailed to the bench at that late juncture.
But Helenius, who turned 20 on Monday, quickly earned Ruff’s trust as the Sabres roared back to even the best-of-seven second-round series at 2.
Following Game 4, the affable Finn couldn’t stop smiling as he discussed his exploits in the Bell Centre.
“It means a lot that coaches trust me,” said Helenius, who will likely pivot Jack Quinn and Jason Zucker tonight in Game 5 at KeyBank Center.
The youngster looked comfortable as chaos enveloped around him in hockey’s noisiest rink, skating 12 minutes, 53 seconds over 17 shifts. He pumped three shots on goal, attempted six shots and won four of his six faceoffs.
Helenius and his linemates generated 12 scoring chances for and nine against at five-on-five, according to according to NaturalStatTrick.com, including eight high-danger chances for and just two against.
While it’s a one-game sample size, his 7.27 expected goals per 60 minutes ranks second in the postseason, according to MoneyPuck.com, trailing only Colorado Avalanche star Martin Necas.
“He played an excellent game from start to finish,” Ruff said following the game. “… He skated well, competed hard. He gave us a heck of a game.”
Helenius played 5 minutes, 41 seconds in the third period with the contest tied or the Sabres up one goal.
In that period, Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes stopped him on a two-on-one, coming across his crease to get his left pad on the puck. He later hit the post on a similar two-on-one.
“It was a great pass, the first one I just couldn’t get up,” Helenius said. “The second one I hit the post. It’s little things, you know? You just got to get it high and score.”
In the first period, officials ruled following a long replay review he interfered with Dobes’ stick, negating Quinn’s goal that would’ve put the Sabres up 2-0.
“I didn’t even know that was me,” said Helenius, the 14th overall pick in 2024.
Turning to Helenius as they faced the possibility of falling behind two games in the series – he replaced center Sam Carrick – illustrates how highly the Sabres think of him.
“When Helly’s been here, he’s been incredible,” Sabres winger Josh Doan said Wednesday in the 4 Seasons Hotel Montreal. “And it’s exciting to kind of see the strides he’s taken from the beginning of the year to now. I mean, last night’s a perfect test for him to kind of show where he’s at in his game.”
The Sabres’ top forward prospect played his first nine games earlier this season leading up to the Olympic break. After returning to Rochester, he completed a stellar campaign, registering 21 goals and 62 points in 63 games while developing into one of the Americans’ drivers as one of the AHL’s youngest players.
“He’s a really confident kid,” Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson said. “He’s not shy. He fits right in. Funny dude. Yeah, I don’t think he lacks confidence at all in a good way.”
Ruff said that Helenius’ first taste of the NHL and the work of the coaching staff in Rochester – “The great job that (coach Mike Leone) and his crew have done with him,” Ruff said – prepared to handle a pressure-packed game like Tuesday’s.
“I watched all his D-Zone,” Ruff said Wednesday. “A lot of times you have to teach a young player to stay in position, support the puck. I thought he did a great job. He skated on pucks. He supported our breakouts really well.”