Buffalo Sabres: Luukkonen puts on another clinic in win over Preds
By Sion Fawkes
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed two goals within 40 seconds before he shutout the Predators in the third period.
For 40 seconds, the Buffalo Sabres looked like a team on the verge of falling apart against the Nashville Predators, a team who is far better than their current record and points total indicates. After taking a 3-1 lead, the Sabres allowed back-to-back goals, and goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen looked like he was going to be in for a rough night.
Then he posted a shutout in the third period, where the Predators outshot the Sabres 19-10, posting nearly half of their 41 shots in the final frame alone. Yet Luukkonen once again saved several would be goals, often just getting a piece of the puck to deflect it.
At least twice, he saved the same type of shot he allowed in the first period, where a deflection wasn’t enough to keep the puck from finding twine. Given his performance, Luukkonen climbed yet another rung over 27-year-old Eric Comrie in his quest to become the team’s number one goaltender.
Luukkonen’s clinic helped lead the Buffalo Sabres to another big win
Luukkonen, in 15 games, doesn’t have the best overall numbers, as they sit at a 0.894 save percentage and a 3.50 GAA. But since December 10th, Luukkonen has posted a save percentage of 0.900 or better in six of his last nine starts. He also allowed three or fewer goals in seven of those games.
And last night, he once again showed his ability to rise to the challenge on the road against one of the NHL’s most physical teams. Early in the contest Luukkonen took a hit, shrugged it off, and played the rest of the contest. While the Predators continued with their physical game, Luukkonen was undaunted, and it became clear that no matter what they tried, he wasn’t going to let anything sneak by.
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He seemed to get better as the third period wore on, and given his recent performances, Eric Comrie’s margin for error has grown even slimmer. Just a few days ago, I said there was writing on the wall for Comrie. So unless Comrie can match Luukkonen’s heroics, things are looking even bleaker for the journeyman goaltender.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
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