Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had a net to himself Tuesday morning as the Sabres skated before Game 4 against the Canadiens, a sign Buffalo is still sorting out its crease as the series tightens. Alex Lyon started seven straight games after Luukkonen opened the playoffs as Buffalo’s starter, but the morning skate pointed to a possible reset.
That possibility carries real weight because Luukkonen’s playoff run has already had a defining low point. In Round 1 against the Boston Bruins, he struggled in Game 2, including a bouncing goal he allowed to Morgan Geekie from center ice. Lyon, meanwhile, has not separated himself from the conversation after allowing nine goals in the last two games of the series against Montreal.
The crease question matters now because Buffalo needs stability in a series where it has already been chasing solutions. The Sabres have had trouble with Montreal’s speed and with clearing the front of the net, two issues that have put extra pressure on whoever starts behind them. Tuesday’s skate did not settle the choice, but it did show the club is still weighing whether to return to the goalie who began the postseason or stay with the one who took over for the next seven games.
Buffalo also made another notable change at the morning skate, with Luke Schenn lining up on a defensive pair with Conor Timmins in place of Logan Stanley. Schenn, who was acquired at the trade deadline in a deal with the Winnipeg Jets, has played only four games for the Sabres since the move. He brings a much longer resume to the moment: 58 playoff games and two Stanley Cup titles with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
For Konsta Helenius, Tuesday carried a different kind of significance. He turned 20 on Monday and skated on a line that could lead to his NHL playoff debut, which would also be his 10th game this season. Lindy Ruff said Helenius is a talented player who can provide offense and has produced in the playoffs at every level he has played in, but the teenager’s own words explained why the moment can matter. He has said he plays a physical game, is not the biggest guy but likes to play hard and bring emotion into it, and that these are big games where every play matters because everyone is watching and he wants to show he can play.
Ruff also said Carrick is available to play after returning from injury in the last game, giving Buffalo another option as it looks for the right mix. Schenn said the situation comes down to experience and patience, saying it is not the first time he has been in this position and he simply has to stay ready. That is where the Sabres are now: one skater after another, one possible lineup answer after another, with Game 4 waiting for a decision that could decide more than a single night.
