Sabres news: Sabres split two Prospect Challenge games

With the two Prospect Challenge games now in the rear-view mirror, the Buffalo Sabres now shift their focus to training camp and the preseason. With preseason hockey starting in just eight days for Buffalo, the Sabres got a good look at some of their younger talent this past weekend inside the LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo.

The Sabres prospects were in control on Friday night against the New Jersey Devils, as Buffalo posted a 3-0 victory. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who has four starts in Buffalo in his career so far, looked great in goal on Friday night, stopping every shot that came his way. Buffalo saw goals from Brett Murray, JJ Peterka, and an empty netter from Peter Tischke.

The second game, although the end result was not to the Sabres liking, still showed glimpses of quality play from some prospects in Buffalo. Peterka and Murray both found themselves on the stat sheet for the second straight game. Both scoring their second goal in as many games. But those were the only two goals the Sabres could muster against the Bruins as they fell 5-2 on Saturday afternoon.  Murray finished the Prospect Challenge with a team-high three points on two goals and one assist in two games.

As for a couple of the Sabres’ other top prospects in Jack Quinn and Mattias Samuelsson, there were both relatively quiet in their one appearance they both made on Friday against the Devils. Quinn and Samuelsson were both held out of Saturday’s game against the Bruins for injury reasons. Prospect Challenge coach Seth Appert dubbed Quinn’s absence on Saturday due to “load management”. And Samuelsson was not in the lineup due to a lower-body injury he suffered blocking a shot late in Friday’s game.

With training camp and preseason basically here, it will be very interesting to see where Buffalo’s top prospects slot in their roster and who will make the opening night team. On a team that is rebuilding, there are plenty of roster spots that will be up for grabs.