Buffalo Sabres prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen struggled at times last season, but he has aced his first two games in the net down in Rochester.
I have little doubt that we will see Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen rock the blue and gold at some point in the season. This is assuming, of course, he stays consistent in both health and productivity. But if his early returns in Rochester indicate anything, it is that the goaltender known as UPL is set to enjoy a remarkable 2022-23 campaign.
Last season, Luukkonen had his moments, but with multiple injuries and bouts of inconsistency, many in the Sabres fan base questioned whether he would ever develop into a quality goaltender. Then came the preseason, where he pulled off two remarkable performances. Now that the Rochester Americans 2022-23 season has kicked off, Luukkonen has once again hit the ground running.
The Buffalo Sabres have got to be happy with Luukkonen’s progress
In Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Toronto Marlies, Luukkonen stopped 37 of 39 shots in 58 minutes of ice time. While he allowed two goals in the third period, both game on the power play and the Amerks were unable to find an answer.
On Friday, the Amerks opened their season with a 4-2 win over the Marlies, where Luukkonen also had a solid outing, stopping 22 of 24 shots on goal. Overall, Luukkonen has a GAA of just 2.04 and a save percentage of 0.937.
Want more? Of the four goals he allowed this season, three came on the power play. Do the math, and it means Luukkonen has stopped all but one shot on goal at even strength, providing even further indication that he has improved dramatically in the early going.
And sure, things can change at the drop of a hat and Luukkonen can revert back into mediocrity. But so far, the star-crossed goaltender has proven his doubters wrong. The question now bodes: Can he keep it up for the long haul?
(Statistics provided by theAHL.com and Hockey DB)