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Buffalo Sabres latest loss shows it’s time for a goalie swap

By Sion Fawkes

Mar 7, 2022; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres goaltender Craig Anderson (41) makes a save during the third period against the Florida Panthers at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2022; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres goaltender Craig Anderson (41) makes a save during the third period against the Florida Panthers at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Buffalo Sabres have been outscored 9-1 in the last 36 hours.  So why are they filling the net with veterans?

Craig Anderson once again showed us why his career is all but finished. The Buffalo Sabres goaltender saved 25 of 31 shots on goal for a meager .806 save percentage. It’s the fourth time in five games Anderson’s save percentage dipped below the 90% mark, and odds are things won’t get any better with the gauntlet of playoff contenders the Sabres are slated to face.

Okay, let’s be fair. The Sabres logged 18 penalty minutes, which forced Anderson to face eight power play goals. That said, he still finished 18 for 22 at even strength, which equates to a .818 percentage. Still less-than-stellar.

This isn’t a knock on Anderson, who saw many phenomenal moments this season, even at age 40. But it’s time to move on from the aging goaltender and reload the position with youth.

Buffalo Sabres need to play youth in the net now

The Sabres are 18-32-8. They’re going nowhere as is. So why is Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen toiling away in Rochester? We don’t know if he’s the long-term answer. But he has far more potential than either Anderson or Dustin Tokarski.

Despite his 2-5-2 record, Luukkonen logged some outstanding performances. In his first five starts this season, he posted a save percentage of .913 or better. Yeah, he tailed off and ultimately ended up on injured reserve.

But at age 23 (UPL turns 23 on March 9th), he has more time to correct his consistency issues in the net. Sure, Luukkonen struggled in the AHL since returning from injury barring his impressive performance on February 25th, in which he saved 98% shots on goal.

However, the Sabres recalled numerous Amerks, including Mattias Samuelsson, Casey Fitzgerald, Peyton Krebs, and Mark Jankowski. The Amerks have also seen multiple players go down with injuries in recent weeks, including Brandon Biro, who made his NHL debut last month.

More. Loss to Kings defines Buffalo Sabres. light

You can’t fully place Luukkonen’s struggles on his shoulders down in Rochester. The Amerks as a whole have regressed since January 1st, posting an 11-13-3-2 record after starting the season 16-8. So let’s recall him back to the NHL and figure out if he’s the guy moving forward.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference and the AHL)

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