Sabres’ Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to Make Preseason Debut Against Penguins

Buffalo, NY  — The Buffalo Sabres are set to play their penultimate preseason game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday at KeyBank Center. Coach Lindy Ruff announced that goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will make his preseason debut after recovering from a lower-body injury.

Luukkonen has been out since the start of training camp but returned to practice on September 25. Ruff indicated that it’s not yet determined how long Luukkonen will play, stating, “Just health and feeling good in net. … I think it’ll be great to see him in net tomorrow night.” The Sabres currently hold a 3-1 preseason record, with recent standout performances from Tage Thompson and Josh Norris.

In addition to Luukkonen’s return, Jiri Kulich will also rejoin the lineup after missing three games due to a muscle tweak. Kulich practiced alongside teammates Josh Doan and Jack Quinn, a line he previously played on during the preseason opener.

Defensive player Ryan Johnson has impressed during the preseason, logging over 18 minutes of ice time in a recent game. Ruff praised Johnson’s play style, noting his physicality and skating skills. “He needs to be noticed … I thought he answered the call on all of those,” Ruff said. Johnson will fill in for injured defensemen Owen Power, Bowen Byram, and Mattias Samuelsson.

The game is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET, with streaming available on MSG and radio coverage on WGR 550.