>BUFFALO, N.Y. — Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen went into the first intermission of the Sabres’ win over the San Jose Sharks needing a reset. He had just let in two goals on 13 shots. Both goals beat him high on his glove-hand side. Both were impressive shots, but Luukkonen also had a clean look at each goal. In isolation, a two-goal period isn’t cause for alarm. Luukkonen, though, had just allowed five and six goals in his previous two starts against the Avalanche and Lightning. As a 23-year-old goalie who still has fewer than 20 games of NHL experience, those results can start to snowball.
>Luukkonen looks at every goal, but in the heat of a game, he knows it’s critical not to dwell on the goals. That’s a different mental challenge in the NHL, where the pressure intensifies and the results are your resume. Even for a young goalie who is still developing, every NHL game played is an evaluation on the biggest stage. That’s why that intermission was crucial. He had allowed 13 goals in 11-plus periods with a .816 save percentage during that stretch.
>“You can’t really change your game or think about it too much because then you open up everything else and take yourself off the pace there,” Luukkonen said. “You have to be able to read what you did but you can’t really change too much during the game.
>“You can’t look back too much at the goals, whether it’s a bad goal or one you can’t do much about. You can’t change it. You have to be there and do as much as you can to help your team win whatever the score is at that point.”
>Luukkonen was able to do that. The Sabres’ offense got going in the second period, and as a result, Luukkonen saw only six shots. He stopped them all while the Sabres scored three times to build a two-goal lead heading into the third period. That’s a lead the team had let slip away twice in the three games leading into Sunday. That didn’t happen against the Sharks. After Jack Quinn scored to put the Sabres up 5-2, the Sharks came right back and got a greasy goal with traffic in front. But Luukkonen stopped nine of the Sharks’ 10 third-period shots and 17 of the final 18 shots he faced during the game. The Sharks were desperate late, mustering five high-danger scoring chances in the third period, according to Natural Stat Trick.
>“He brings such a calm,” defenseman Rasmus Dahlin said. “If we do our job he’s going to do his job.”
>This wasn’t a spectacular showing from Luukkonen, but it was both a solid and important one. Calm can be an elusive trait for any young player, but it’s an essential quality for a goaltender. It would have been easy for Luukkonen to lose his calm with the way things have been going. Don Granato seemed to recognize that over the weekend, putting him right back in after the tough outing against Colorado.
>“You have to support him,” Granato said.
>Goalie is a unique position, but Granato views development on an individual, case-by-case basis anyway. He doesn’t have to dramatically alter that approach just because Luukkonen is wearing more gear than another player.
>The Sabres’ plan with Luukkonen was for him to play in the AHL this season. Goalie coach Mike Bales said before the season that wasn’t an unusual move for a goalie of Luukkonen’s age and experience level. The Sabres wanted Luukkonen to play a lot of games, and the easiest path to do that was by playing in Rochester.
>“He shouldn’t take that as something he did wrong personally,” Bales said then. “Understand that’s the path you’re on right now. Just embrace it and get ready for your opportunity when it comes.”
>The opportunity came after Eric Comrie suffered a lower-body injury that has kept him out for multiple weeks. The Sabres called Luukkonen up, recognizing mistakes could still happen with him still being fresh in his NHL career. With Craig Anderson playing more limited minutes at 41 years old, Luukkonen was going to get plenty of meaningful ice time. Granato knew he and his staff would have to support him through the ups and downs.
>“With UPL, he’s had enough games at this level and he has confidence that whatever happens he feels he can correct it,” Granato said. “It’s not going to be such a hit to his confidence that he’s overwhelmed. That would create a threatening environment for one. And it would be a way more challenging and delicate environment. He’s still pretty confident in his ability. I don’t think he’s losing confidence in these situations. Nobody likes to hear people keep asking questions and questioning him obviously. That’s another part you have to handle at the professional level. Can you handle being questioned?”
>Luukkonen is a quiet and beloved player in Buffalo’s locker room. After the Sabres beat the Blues, players awarded Luukkonen player of the game due to his 34-save, two-goal effort. Moments like that are how that confidence and calm begin to form.
>“You always want to prove yourself that you can help the team win and be the difference in the net,” Luukkonen said. “I feel like especially that game, that’s what it was. It also helps me show the team the same thing that I can help them win.”
>Only two goalies younger than 23 have started games in the NHL this season. Luukkonen is one of four 23-year-olds to get NHL playing time. Some goalies like Jake Oettinger, Carter Hart and Jeremy Swayman have already proven themselves at the NHL level at 24 years old. Spencer Knight has shown rare results at 21, but it’s a position that trends older. Of the 10 goalies who have played the most games this season, only Hart is under the age of 27. Of goalies who have played at least 10 games this season, only five are under 25 years old.
>To get this type of time at 23 can be a valuable experience for Luukkonen if he handles it the right way. That he’s seen the Leafs, Lightning, Blues and Avalanche in four of his five starts only adds to the challenge.
>“They don’t need much to make something out of it,” Luukkonen said of seeing the top scorers in the sport. “You have to be ready from the start. They will come with pace and come in hard. They aren’t waiting around. They will make you pay. It’s about being ready. In the end you can’t think about it too much. You have to play the game the same way.”
>It doesn’t hurt that Luukkonen has Anderson, the oldest player in the league, to lean on. Anderson was drafted a few months after Luukkonen was born, so he can provide plenty of wisdom. Luukkonen said when he goes over to the bench during games, Anderson is always sharing tips and the two break down the game afterward so Luukkonen can understand what Anderson sees. When Anderson starts, Luukkonen can observe from the bench and see all of the small details that make Anderson’s game work.
>“It’s cool to see how much he talks to the players,” Luukkonen said. “I’m probably not in that position yet to tell the d-men what to do, but it’s cool to see how much he can affect the game not only from saving pucks and making the saves but other areas of the game, how he sees the whole thing from the net. It’s really cool to see.”
>Luukkonen’s audition will continue until Comrie is back healthy. The team is still labeling Comrie as week-to-week with that lower-body injury, so Luukkonen won’t be heading back to Rochester imminently. He’s trying not to be consumed by results because he knows that’s only going to cloud his thinking for the next game. Against the Sharks on Sunday, Granato thought Luukkonen was “dialed in” and saw what he considered to be positive signs in the way he responded to a tough week.
>“There’s no reason to look back,” Luukkonen said. “There are a lot of games and starts to be had. It’s just about that. It doesn’t matter if you win or if you lose. That’s kind of how I see these games. I had a really good outing against St. Louis, but in the end when you get to the next game it doesn’t matter how you played the last game. Whether it’s good or bad you have to be ready for the next start.”
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>BUFFALO, N.Y. — Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen went into the first intermission of the Sabres’ win over the San Jose Sharks needing a reset. He had just let in two goals on 13 shots. Both goals beat him high on his glove-hand side. Both were impressive shots, but Luukkonen also had a clean look at each goal. In isolation, a two-goal period isn’t cause for alarm. Luukkonen, though, had just allowed five and six goals in his previous two starts against the Avalanche and Lightning. As a 23-year-old goalie who still has fewer than 20 games of NHL experience, those results can start to snowball.
>Luukkonen looks at every goal, but in the heat of a game, he knows it’s critical not to dwell on the goals. That’s a different mental challenge in the NHL, where the pressure intensifies and the results are your resume. Even for a young goalie who is still developing, every NHL game played is an evaluation on the biggest stage. That’s why that intermission was crucial. He had allowed 13 goals in 11-plus periods with a .816 save percentage during that stretch.
>“You can’t really change your game or think about it too much because then you open up everything else and take yourself off the pace there,” Luukkonen said. “You have to be able to read what you did but you can’t really change too much during the game.
>“You can’t look back too much at the goals, whether it’s a bad goal or one you can’t do much about. You can’t change it. You have to be there and do as much as you can to help your team win whatever the score is at that point.”
>Luukkonen was able to do that. The Sabres’ offense got going in the second period, and as a result, Luukkonen saw only six shots. He stopped them all while the Sabres scored three times to build a two-goal lead heading into the third period. That’s a lead the team had let slip away twice in the three games leading into Sunday. That didn’t happen against the Sharks. After Jack Quinn scored to put the Sabres up 5-2, the Sharks came right back and got a greasy goal with traffic in front. But Luukkonen stopped nine of the Sharks’ 10 third-period shots and 17 of the final 18 shots he faced during the game. The Sharks were desperate late, mustering five high-danger scoring chances in the third period, according to Natural Stat Trick.
>“He brings such a calm,” defenseman Rasmus Dahlin said. “If we do our job he’s going to do his job.”
>This wasn’t a spectacular showing from Luukkonen, but it was both a solid and important one. Calm can be an elusive trait for any young player, but it’s an essential quality for a goaltender. It would have been easy for Luukkonen to lose his calm with the way things have been going. Don Granato seemed to recognize that over the weekend, putting him right back in after the tough outing against Colorado.
>“You have to support him,” Granato said.
>Goalie is a unique position, but Granato views development on an individual, case-by-case basis anyway. He doesn’t have to dramatically alter that approach just because Luukkonen is wearing more gear than another player.
>The Sabres’ plan with Luukkonen was for him to play in the AHL this season. Goalie coach Mike Bales said before the season that wasn’t an unusual move for a goalie of Luukkonen’s age and experience level. The Sabres wanted Luukkonen to play a lot of games, and the easiest path to do that was by playing in Rochester.
>“He shouldn’t take that as something he did wrong personally,” Bales said then. “Understand that’s the path you’re on right now. Just embrace it and get ready for your opportunity when it comes.”
>The opportunity came after Eric Comrie suffered a lower-body injury that has kept him out for multiple weeks. The Sabres called Luukkonen up, recognizing mistakes could still happen with him still being fresh in his NHL career. With Craig Anderson playing more limited minutes at 41 years old, Luukkonen was going to get plenty of meaningful ice time. Granato knew he and his staff would have to support him through the ups and downs.
>“With UPL, he’s had enough games at this level and he has confidence that whatever happens he feels he can correct it,” Granato said. “It’s not going to be such a hit to his confidence that he’s overwhelmed. That would create a threatening environment for one. And it would be a way more challenging and delicate environment. He’s still pretty confident in his ability. I don’t think he’s losing confidence in these situations. Nobody likes to hear people keep asking questions and questioning him obviously. That’s another part you have to handle at the professional level. Can you handle being questioned?”
>Luukkonen is a quiet and beloved player in Buffalo’s locker room. After the Sabres beat the Blues, players awarded Luukkonen player of the game due to his 34-save, two-goal effort. Moments like that are how that confidence and calm begin to form.
>“You always want to prove yourself that you can help the team win and be the difference in the net,” Luukkonen said. “I feel like especially that game, that’s what it was. It also helps me show the team the same thing that I can help them win.”
>Only two goalies younger than 23 have started games in the NHL this season. Luukkonen is one of four 23-year-olds to get NHL playing time. Some goalies like Jake Oettinger, Carter Hart and Jeremy Swayman have already proven themselves at the NHL level at 24 years old. Spencer Knight has shown rare results at 21, but it’s a position that trends older. Of the 10 goalies who have played the most games this season, only Hart is under the age of 27. Of goalies who have played at least 10 games this season, only five are under 25 years old.
>To get this type of time at 23 can be a valuable experience for Luukkonen if he handles it the right way. That he’s seen the Leafs, Lightning, Blues and Avalanche in four of his five starts only adds to the challenge.
>“They don’t need much to make something out of it,” Luukkonen said of seeing the top scorers in the sport. “You have to be ready from the start. They will come with pace and come in hard. They aren’t waiting around. They will make you pay. It’s about being ready. In the end you can’t think about it too much. You have to play the game the same way.”
>It doesn’t hurt that Luukkonen has Anderson, the oldest player in the league, to lean on. Anderson was drafted a few months after Luukkonen was born, so he can provide plenty of wisdom. Luukkonen said when he goes over to the bench during games, Anderson is always sharing tips and the two break down the game afterward so Luukkonen can understand what Anderson sees. When Anderson starts, Luukkonen can observe from the bench and see all of the small details that make Anderson’s game work.
>“It’s cool to see how much he talks to the players,” Luukkonen said. “I’m probably not in that position yet to tell the d-men what to do, but it’s cool to see how much he can affect the game not only from saving pucks and making the saves but other areas of the game, how he sees the whole thing from the net. It’s really cool to see.”
>Luukkonen’s audition will continue until Comrie is back healthy. The team is still labeling Comrie as week-to-week with that lower-body injury, so Luukkonen won’t be heading back to Rochester imminently. He’s trying not to be consumed by results because he knows that’s only going to cloud his thinking for the next game. Against the Sharks on Sunday, Granato thought Luukkonen was “dialed in” and saw what he considered to be positive signs in the way he responded to a tough week.
>“There’s no reason to look back,” Luukkonen said. “There are a lot of games and starts to be had. It’s just about that. It doesn’t matter if you win or if you lose. That’s kind of how I see these games. I had a really good outing against St. Louis, but in the end when you get to the next game it doesn’t matter how you played the last game. Whether it’s good or bad you have to be ready for the next start.”
>(Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig / USA TODAY Sports)