Burning question: Will Buffalo Sabres goaltenders maintain strong play?
Buffalo Sabres goaltenders Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi have been strong lately, so will that trend continue into mid-December.
What a past few games it’s been for Devon Levi, who we talked about extensively yesterday as one of the reasons the Buffalo Sabres have gotten more consistent. A 1.62 GAA and a 0.942 save percentage have been impeccable, so while it would make sense to send Levi to Rochester again should the Sabres decide to re-insert Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Eric Comrie, it doesn’t appear the latter will see much ice time soon.
Mike Harrington of Buffalo News spoke about the current goaltender situation in the City of Good Neighbors, and here is what he had to say about Comrie.
“While Granato mentioned Comrie’s name, it’s clear he’s become the No. 3 goalie with some tough outings since he returned from a lower-body injury. Comrie won’t see the crease any time soon unless there’s another illness or injury among Luukkonen or Levi.”
Source: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s return gives Sabres another strong option in goal
The move makes sense, and it’s something that the Sabres fan base should be okay with if Levi isn’t on the ice just once a week. Back when I was advocating for the rookie to play in Rochester, it had less to do with his performance at the time and everything to do with gaining experience, and he needs to keep getting those reps in regardless of the level he’s playing in.
Will Buffalo Sabres goaltenders keep up their high-octane play in December?
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen hasn’t played since December 3rd thanks to an illness, but he’s been great in almost every game he’s played in since November 11th. He’s boasted a 0.914 save percentage and a 2.56 GAA in that time, saving 170 of 186 shots on goal. Only the six goals he allowed against the St. Louis Blues on November 30th served as the outlier.
Lack of experience remains the only issue with Luukkonen and Levi, which raises the fourth and impromptu burning question of the week: Will the goaltenders remain consistent? They will have the opportunity on this road trip, as Luukkonen will likely see two starts (Harrington stated Luukkonen was in the starter’s net in the piece linked above) and Levi should get one.
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However, the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights are a pair of elite hockey teams, even if the Buffalo Sabres shut out the former back in October. And although the Sabres beat the Arizona Coyotes on Monday, don’t expect the rematch to be so easy. With a trio of talented teams on the slate, Levi and Luukkonen will answer at least Act I of that late burning question this week.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference and QuantHockey)