Buffalo Sabres: Luukkonen dominates Week 9’s bold predictions of 2023

The Buffalo Sabres are looking to bounce back from what was a miserable Week 8, so perhaps Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen can help them out.

Even if the Buffalo Sabres haven’t played well through the first 25 games of the year, it doesn’t mean we can’t get bold and at least convince ourselves they will get better as the season wears on. So perhaps things will change in Week 9 as the month of December is now in full swing.

This week, we’re talking about the team’s more effective players through those first eight weeks stepping up and playing monster roles for the Blue and Gold as they try to make up some ground in the standings. And just as the Sabres pulled off a huge upset last week, there is one game on the schedule where they may just shock the NHL universe once more.

Buffalo Sabres will stay competitive thanks to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in Week 9

1 – Luukkonen records a 0.930 save percentage, 2.50 GAA in two games

Despite one poor performance this past week, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been stellar. In four of his last five outings, Luukkonen has recorded a save percentage of 0.923 or better, and he also allowed two or fewer goals in each. The only blemish occurred in the Sabres 6-4 loss to the St. Louis Blues this past Thursday, but we all have bad games.

However, Luukkonen played well enough to parlay his overall performance into another spectacular one this week, where he should see a pair of starts while Eric Comrie mans the net in a third game. Regardless of the level of competition Luukkonen is facing, he should still snag at least a 0.930 save percentage and a 2.54 GAA.

2 – Rasmus Dahlin goes off, scores five points in three games

In desperate situations like what the Buffalo Sabres are facing, they must get the puck on their best player’s stick, and that’s Rasmus Dahlin. This week, the Blue and Gold will once again roll without Tage Thompson while the jury is still out on Alex Tuch at the time of this writing.

Look for Dahlin to take every scoring chance opponents give him this week, and he will do all he can to help his forwards capitalize. It will result in quite the week in scoring for Dahlin when he takes the mantle and becomes a catalyst in the team’s scoring chances.

3 – Sabres win a thriller vs. the Red Wings

Last season, the Buffalo Sabres and the Detroit Red Wings provided no shortage of entertainment value. They went to shootouts in two of their four contests while the Sabres high-octane identity may have started on Halloween Night 2022 in that big win vs. their Atlantic Division rival.

This week, the Sabres and Red Wings look like two teams heading in opposite directions, but the Blue and Gold repeat what they did last Monday and pull off a shocker. And who knows? They might just spoil Patrick Kane’s debut in the process if he winds up playing tomorrow night.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)