For the first time this preseason, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen took the ice for the Buffalo Sabres as he entered training camp with an injury. The Sabres worked him back slowly in hopes of putting the injury behind him.
However, Luukkonen only lasted one period and was ruled out with a lower-body injury, and according to Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News, this is the same injury he was dealing with entering training camp.
It certainly depends on the severity of the injury, but to hear he re-aggravated the same injury is not great news. This was supposed to be a pivotal season for Luukkonen as he tried to bounce back from a lackluster season last year.
In the first period, Luukkonen looked really good as he stopped 11 of 12 shots and the only goal he let in was a power play goal.
Buffalo Sabres are going to have some tough choices over the next week
The first thing the Buffalo Sabres are going to have to determine is how bad the injury is for Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Did he feel his injury tighten up and the Sabres took him out as a precaution? Or did he suffer a significant setback that makes his availability for the regular season a question?
If it is the second scenario, the Sabres are going to now have to carry three goalies before they move Luukkonen to injured reserve. They would then need to turn to either Alex Lyon or Alexandar Georgiev, who was the backup in the game tonight against Pittsburgh and will finish out the game.
The plan was for Luukkonen to play the final two preseason games but with Georgiev now playing a majority of the game against the Penguins, they will probably give the last game to Alex Lyon. Based on these performances, determine who the starter would be if Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen can't play against the New York Rangers.