Why Sabres are starting Alex Lyon as goalie over Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in Game 3 vs. Bruins
TL;DR
The Buffalo Sabres are starting Alex Lyon as goalie over Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for Game 3 against the Boston Bruins. This decision comes as the series is tied 1-1, making the game crucial for both teams.
Key points
- Buffalo Sabres starting Alex Lyon as goalie
- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen moved to the bench
- Game 3 is crucial with series tied at 1-1
Why Sabres are starting Alex Lyon as goalie over Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in Game 3 vs. Bruins originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Buffalo Sabres appear to be making a big change for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference opening round playoff series against the Boston Bruins.
Alex Lyon had a net to himself at morning skate, which suggests he'll be the starter in goal. That would move the guy who started the first two games, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, to the bench.
The Sabres and Bruins are tied at a game apiece, which makes Game 3 a critical one.
Why is Alex Lyon starting goalie over Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen?
UPL struggled mightily in Game 2, allowing four goals on 20 shots.
That included a nightmare second goal, when a Morgan Geekie dump-in took a weird bounce past Luukkonen into the goal.
Lyon has been really good on the road this year -- at one point winning 10 road games in a row. The Sabres are playing the first road game of this series on Thursday night.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff wouldn't actually reveal the move, calling it "top secret," but all signs point to Lyon.
“I can tell you this, we’ve used three goalies all year,” Ruff said, via The Athletic. “Some people thought it was a little unusual that we alternated. The cool thing about our team is, again, I’ll say this, we haven’t relied on one guy. We haven’t relied on one goalie. We’ve had a lot of different players help us get to where we are. We know we’re a good team because of the depth of our goaltending. We know we’re a good team because of the depth of our forwards. It isn’t about one person. We could alternate goaltenders from now until the end of the playoffs, and it would be perfectly normal for our club.”
The Sabres will need a goalie to get hot to stay alive in these playoffs. Maybe it'll be Lyon and not Luukkonen.
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Q&A
Why is Alex Lyon starting as goalie for the Sabres in Game 3?
Alex Lyon is starting as goalie for the Sabres in Game 3 likely due to his performance in practice and the team's need for a change after the series is tied.
What happened to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in the Sabres' playoff series?
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who started the first two games, is being moved to the bench for Game 3 as the Sabres opt for Alex Lyon as their starting goalie.
How important is Game 3 for the Sabres and Bruins playoff series?
Game 3 is critical for both the Sabres and Bruins as the series is tied 1-1, making it a pivotal matchup in the Eastern Conference opening round.
