Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Heartbreaking OT loss in Game 7
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Luukkonen stopped 22 shots Monday during the Sabres' 3-2 overtime loss to the Canadiens in Game 7 of their second-round series.
Montreal grabbed a 2-0 lead on a Zachary Bolduc power-play goal late in the first period, but Luukkonen locked things down for the rest of regulation as Buffalo rallied to tie it. The Sabres' luck ran out in OT, though, as Alex Newhook beat Luukkonen through traffic midway through the first extra frame. The 27-year-old netminder wound up appearing in six of Buffalo's 13 games during the playoffs, posting a 3.18 GAA and .876 save percentage -- a step back from the regular season, when he delivered a 22-9-3 record in 35 outings with a 2.51 GAA and .909 save percentage. With both Luukkonen and Alex Lyon under contract for 2026-27, the Sabres could continue to roll with a tandem in the crease next season.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Looking to advance to ECF
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Luukkonen will be between the home pipes for Game 7 against the Canadiens on Monday, Heather Engel of NHL.com reports.
Luukkonen didn't get the start in Saturday's Game 6 win, but he replaced Alex Lyon in the first period and helped the Sabres force a Game 7 in Buffalo. The 27-year-old Luukkonen has stopped 65 of 72 shots during this second-round series, going 2-1 across three appearances. Overall in the 2026 postseason, the Finnish netminder is 3-2 with a 3.36 GAA and an .875 save percentage over five outings. The Canadiens are making a few changes to their bottom six for Game 7, including Oliver Kapanen drawing into the lineup for Joe Veleno.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Stabilizes crease in Game 6
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Luukkonen stopped all 18 shots he faced in relief of Alex Lyon in an 8-3 win over the Canadiens in Game 6 on Saturday.
Luukkonen was brought in midway through the first period with the Sabres facing a 3-1 deficit. He did his job, turning into a brick wall while the Sabres' offense broke through in a big way at the other end of the rink. Luukkonen is now 2-1 with seven goals allowed on 72 shots over three appearances in the second round. It's likely he gets the nod in Game 7 on Monday with the season on the line for both teams and an Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the Hurricanes going to the winner.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Gets hook in Game 5
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Luukkonen allowed five goals on 23 shots Thursday before being replaced by Alex Lyon to begin the third period during the Sabres' 6-3 loss to the Canadiens in Game 5 of their second-round series.
Buffalo actually took a 3-2 lead into the first intermission, but the team's defensive woes piled up over the final 40 minutes as the game slipped away. Luukkonen wasn't exactly sharp either, however, and he looked shaky on what proved to be the game-winning goal late in the second period -- Ivan Demidov's shot somehow got past him on the short side, and the puck fell into the crease for Jake Evans to poke home. With the Sabres' season on the line and neither of the team's top two goalies playing particularly well, coach Lindy Ruff will have a tough decision to make between the pipes for Game 6 on Saturday. Over four outings this postseason, Luukkonen has a 4.20 GAA and .851 save percentage.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Back in goal for Game 5
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Luukkonen will protect the home goal versus the Canadiens in Game 5 on Thursday, Heather Engel of NHL.com reports.
Luukkonen will get the start again after picking up a win with a 29-save effort in Montreal on Tuesday in Game 4. The 27-year-old is now 2-1 with nine goals allowed on 71 shots over three appearances this postseason. The Canadiens have yet to lose consecutive games in the playoffs, so this could be a tough matchup for Luukkonen at a pivotal point in the second-round series.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Nabs win in return to crease
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Luukkonen made 28 saves in a 3-2 win over the Canadiens in Game 4 on Tuesday.
In his first appearance since Game 2 of Buffalo's opening-round series against Boston, Luukkonen surrendered two first-period tallies, one on a Montreal power play, before locking things down. He was superb while giving his team a chance to mount a comeback and tie the series at 2-2. The performance will likely keep Luukkonen between the pipes for Game 5 back in Buffalo on Thursday. Through three postseason games, the 27-year-old netminder has a 3.37 GAA and .871 save percentage.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Tending twine in Game 4
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Luukkonen will defend the road net against Montreal on Tuesday in Game 4, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.
Luukkonen allowed seven goals on 40 shots en route to a 1-1 record in Buffalo's first-round series against Boston. He made 32 saves in a 4-2 win over Montreal on Jan. 22 during the 2025-26 regular season. The door is open for Luukkonen to reclaim the No. 1 spot between the pipes after Alex Lyon surrendered nine goals on 63 shots over the Sabres' last two losses.
Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Gets hook in Game 2 loss
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Luukkonen gave up four goals on 20 shots before being replaced by Alex Lyon early in the third period Tuesday during the Sabres' 4-2 loss to the Bruins in Game 2 of their first-round series.
After a scoreless first period, things fell apart for Buffalo in the second, and Luukkonen didn't help matters when he let a bouncing puck get past him for Boston's second goal on a backhand flip from center ice by Morgan Geekie. Lyon was perfect in relief in the final frame, creating a potential goaltending controversy for the Sabres heading into Game 3 on Thursday since Luukkonen has given up seven goals on only 40 shots through the first two games in the series.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Set to start Game 2
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Luukkonen is expected to protect the home net in Game 2 against Boston on Tuesday, according to Justin Alpert of the Sabres' official site.
During his NHL playoff debut, Luukkonen stopped 17 shots in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Bruins. Boston took a 2-0 lead at the 1:08 mark of the third before Buffalo rallied for the victory. Luukkonen had a shaky showing, but the team earned the win, and the experience he gained could be valuable as the series progresses.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Secures Game 1 win
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Luukkonen allowed three goals on 20 shots in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Bruins in Game 1.
It wasn't looking good for the Sabres for much of the game, but they rallied for four goals in a span of 6:46 during the third period. That gave them just enough of a cushion to weather a late comeback attempt by the Bruins. While it was far from a pretty outing, Luukkonen was able to get the win in his playoff debut. He had a good regular season with a 22-9-3 record, a 2.51 GAA and a .909 save percentage over 35 appearances. Luukkonen is set to be the Sabres' No. 1 goalie to start the postseason, though any struggles could open the door for Alex Lyon to get some game action. The Sabres host Game 2 on Tuesday.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Set for playoff debut
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Luukkonen will be between the home pipes in Game 1 against the Bruins on Sunday, per Heather Engel of NHL.com.
Luukkonen finished the regular season on a high note, winning three straight games and seven of his final nine. Across that nine-game stretch, the Finnish netminder surrendered more than three goals on just one occasion. The lone rough patch happened to come against the Bruins, though, a matchup in which Luukkonen allowed four goals on 31 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss March 25. Boston struggled away from TD Garden in 2025-26, posting a 16-16-9 record on the road, while the Sabres finished the regular season with a 26-10-5 record at KeyBank Center.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Cruises to another win Monday
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Luukkonen stopped 14 of 15 shots on net in Monday's 5-1 win over the Blackhawks.
Luukkonen allowed the first goal of the contest while at a man disadvantage, but went on to keep Buffalo's net clean for the next 56 minutes. With the win, he now has a 22-9-3 record, a 2.51 GAA and a .909 save percentage across 35 games this season. The 27-year-old netminder has been on fire as of late with a 5-1-0 record, a 2.15 GAA and a .910 save percentage across his last six outings. With his hot streak helping the Sabres claim their first Atlantic Division title since the 2009-10 campaign, he'll likely get a game of rest before being the top choice to suit up for Game 1 of Buffalo's first-round series.
Luukkonen will start in Monday's road game against the Blackhawks, per Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News.
Luukkonen will look to stay hot in Monday's contest after earning a win in four of his last five starts. Overall, the 27-year-old netminder has a 21-9-3 record, a 2.56 GAA and a .908 save percentage across 34 appearances this season. He's been a big reason why the Sabres currently sit atop the Atlantic Division, and he'll have extra motivation in Monday's contest to make sure they keep two points in hand on the surging Canadiens. Luukkonen will face off against a Blackhawks offense that ranks tied for 31st in the NHL with 2.55 goals per game this season.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Fourth win in five games
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Luukkonen stopped 17 of 20 shots in Wednesday's 5-3 win over the Rangers.
Luukkonen wasn't at his best, and Buffalo trailed 3-2 after two periods. He stayed in goal for the third, and the Sabres' defense stepped up, as Luukkonen faced just one shot in the final frame while his teammates rallied for the win. The 27-year-old has won four of his last five outings and is up to 21-9-3 with a 2.56 GAA and a .908 save percentage across 34 appearances. If Alex Lyon (lower body) isn't able to play Thursday at home versus the Blue Jackets, Colten Ellis will likely get the nod. However, Luukkonen's light workload in Wednesday's win could keep him in consideration.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: In goal versus Rangers
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Luukkonen will be between the pipes on the road against the Rangers on Wednesday, Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press reports.
Luukkonen has featured in four of the Sabres' last five contests, going 3-1-0 with a 2.22 GAA and .917 save percentage. While the 27-year-old netminder has already reached the 20-win threshold for the third straight year, he won't get anywhere close to playing 50 games as he did each of the prior two campaigns.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Stays sharp in Monday's win
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Luukkonen made 23 saves in Monday's 4-2 win over the Lightning.
The 27-year-old netminder reached 20 wins for a third straight season as he continues to lock in ahead of the playoffs. Luukkonen has allowed more than three goals only once in his last eight starts, going 5-2-1 with a sizzling 1.99 GAA and .927 save percentage over that span.
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Sabres' Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: Set to face Lightning
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Luukkonen will patrol the home crease against Tampa Bay on Monday, according to Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550.
Despite allowing nine goals on 66 shots, Luukkonen has won his previous two appearances against the Lightning this campaign. Overall, he has gone 19-9-3 in 2025-26 with one shutout, a 2.56 GAA and a .909 save percentage through 32 appearances. Tampa Bay sits second in the league with 3.59 goals per game this season.
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