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 in what will likely be a long look this preseason. The Czech, 20, skated at right wing this morning alongside center Peyton Krebs and Lukas Rousek, another rookie.
Kulich also had a spot on the second-power play unit where he can showcase his lethal shot.
The rest of the line combinations and defense pairings are below.
– JJ Peterka, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch
– Zach Benson, Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn
– Beck Malenstyn, Sam Lafferty and Nicolas Aube-Kubel
– Bowen Byram and Owen Power
– Mattias Samuelsson and Henri Jokiharju
– Jacob Bryson and Connor Clifton
James Reimer will back up Luukkonen.