Lindy Ruff’s Goalie Gamble Changes the Series for Buffalo

The Buffalo Sabres entered Game 4 of their second-round series against the Montreal Canadiens in desperate need of a win. After taking Game 1, Buffalo’s approach quickly unraveled, as the Canadiens adjusted and found a formula to score in bunches and take the lead in the series.

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Many expected Lindy Ruff to make minor changes within the Sabres lineup, as they were the best team in the Atlantic Division and had seen success throughout the postseason to date; however, he made the bold decision to put Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in the net over Alex Lyon. Lyon to this point had been strong in the playoffs, but after allowing a combined 11 goals over three games against the Canadiens, the Sabres coaching staff understood it was time to make a change.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen Silences the Doubts in Game Four

Heading into the game, there was uncertainty about what to expect from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the young netminder who struggled early in the first round against the Boston Bruins before giving way to Alex Lyon, who has handled the bulk of the starts over the past couple of weeks. In a two-game stretch against Boston, Luukkonen allowed seven goals on more than 40 shots.

The game got off to a rocky start for Luukkonen and the Sabres. After scoring the opening goal in the first frame, the Canadiens struck back with two to end the period. From that point on, Luukkonen dominated the remainder of the game. The Canadiens continued to push throughout the game; however, the Finnish native was there to shut the door when things got tough late in the contest.

The Timing of the Decision to Take Lyon Out of the Net

The timing of the decision could not have been better. While Ruff postgame defended Lyon’s game and made it clear that it wasn’t due to the play of his netminder, he understood things needed to change if the Sabres wanted any chance of winning this series.

Luukkonen spoke to the media postgame about what the win meant for the Sabres as well as himself moving forward in the playoffs. “At this point of the year, it doesn’t matter to me (if I start). As long as we win, that’s the most important thing,” Luukkonen said. “It feels good to come in and be able to help the team to win, too.”

The Sabres are expected to run with Luukkonen for the remainder of the series, unless things begin to head south between the pipes.

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