Luukkonen to start Game 1 of Prospects Challenge for Sabres

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had a promising start to his NHL career interrupted when an ankle injury ended his season last May. The goaltender had posted a .906 save percentage in four games with the Sabres, including a 36-save victory in his debut.
The injury cost Luukkonen the final four games of Buffalo's season.
"Of course, it would have been nice to play some more," he said. "Those things happen and those injuries you really can't do anything about, you just have to battle through and rehab and be ready when the next chance comes."

The next chance for Luukkonen comes Friday night, when he will start the Sabres' Prospects Challenge opener against the New Jersey Devils at LECOM Harborcenter. The Sabres play two contests in the round-robin event, which continues with their game against the Boston Bruins on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Tickets are available for both games. Fans in the Buffalo broadcast market can also stream the game here.

The tournament will serve as a springboard into main camp for Luukkonen, who will compete for a place on the NHL roster. Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has stressed that the organization will not rush the 22-year-old, meaning Luukkonen will have to beat out veterans Craig Anderson, Aaron Dell, and Dustin Tokarski for one of two spots.
Luukkonen held his own during his limited time spent with the Sabres last season. Sabres coach Don Granato noted how the goaltender carried himself with an attitude reminiscent of two-time Stanley Cup champion Corey Crawford, with whom Granato worked in Chicago.
Rochester Americans coach Seth Appert - who will lead the Sabres prospects this weekend - spoke Friday about the "swagger" that emanates from Luukkonen's net.

"It's hard to describe what it is, but in all the years I coached in college hockey, people would ask, 'What do you look for when you're recruiting goalies?' And I was fortunate to have some really good ones," Appert said. "And that was the first thing I looked for.
"I wanted to walk into a junior rink and feel that goalie's presence and want him playing in our crease. And that is what Uppy gives, and there is not really a way to describe it other than his teammates gain confidence when he's back there."
Luukkonen's cup of coffee with the Sabres inspired him to work on his mobility during the offseason. Though the NHL is more structured than other leagues, he said, plays are also made faster.
Friday will offer his first real chance to put that work to the test.
"It's a good opportunity to be more ready for camp," Luukkonen said. "It will be a lot of speed in the games. … We haven't been together for that long with this team. So, you never know how the structure of the teams are gonna be or how the hockey is gonna be. But one thing is going to be sure, is there's gonna be a lot of speed and some fast players."

Peca meets with the prospects

Brett Murray - another player jockeying for an NHL roster spot after seeing two games with Buffalo last season - said that Amerks assistant coach Michael Peca addressed the prospects during a team meeting on Thursday.
Peca, who captained the Sabres to the Stanley Cup Final in 1999, has lived in Western New York with his family since his retirement.
"He just kind of shared his experience here in Buffalo, the fact that it's a city that he stayed in after and raised a family, what it means to be a Buffalo Sabre," Murray said. "It just gives you a little more drive to want to be part of this organization.
"Just seeing the emotion he brings and that he feels towards this organization, you know there's something special here. So, to be able to want to feel the same way he does at the end of my career hopefully about the Buffalo organization would be awesome."

Tune in

Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at LECOM Harborcenter. Fans in the Buffalo broadcast market can find a live stream here on Sabres.com. Check back afterward for complete highlights.