The Buffalo Sabres just keep winning and moving up in the National Hockey League’s Eastern Conference standings.
With Tuesday night’s shutout victory in Vegas, Buffalo has lost just one game since the winter Olympic break and are tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for the top spot in the east with ninety points. A key component of the Sabres success since early December has been the play of the goaltenders.
Buffalo has implemented a three-netminder combination, which has served them particularly well in light of this season’s extremely challenging, condensed schedule. While Ukko-Pekka-Luukkonen and Alex Lyon have gotten the bulk of the work in the starter’s crease, Colten Ellis remains an important part of the group.
The 25-year-old Nova Scotia native is a reliable netminder who can play well in games when called upon, but also helps the Luukkonen and Lyon tandem maintain rest and focus. With Ellis available as the backup, both Luukkonen and Lyon know when they are next up in the rotation to play and what nights they will not be in the lineup.
Since December 9th, the Sabres have posted a remarkable record of 31-6-2. Although carrying three goaltenders on an NHL roster is typically more problematic than beneficial, the 25-26 season has been the perfect scenario for the Sabres as a team and the men in the net.
“Of course, as a goalie you want to play as much as you can”, said Luukkonen.
“The rotation is nice. You can plan physically, mentally you can prepare on your own games. You kind of know what the rotation will be on the road and home. “Elli (Ellis) and L (Lyon) are both unbelievable guys, unbelievable goalies. So it’s easy to kind of learn something every day and kind of keep yourself mentally sharp. “
As the Stanley Cup Playoffs draw closer, keeping Ellis and his cap hit of just $775,000 on the roster could have lineup benefits this spring as he could remain a nightly backup. As Buffalo continues to push in an effort to finish as high in the standings as possible, the netminders will need to remain ready.
Having goaltenders at the top of their game when they are next up will be crucial as the regular season draws to a close and the postseason begins.
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