Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen helps Sabres beat Oilers, end winless skid

BUFFALO – Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has followed up a breakout season in which he established himself as the Sabres’ backbone and undisputed No. 1 with a pretty underwhelming campaign.

At times, he has briefly recaptured the dynamic form he showcased down the stretch last season that made him one of the NHL’s elite netminders.

Overall, however, Luukkonen has performed inconsistently, often failing to come up with the game-changing saves he did a year ago.

The Sabres have been waiting for him to be a difference-maker again – coach Lindy Ruff said last week they needed a save from him – and he delivered in Monday’s 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers, helping them end a six-game winless skid (0-5-1).

Luukkonen stopped 32 shots, including a point-blank save on superstar Leon Draisaitl with the Sabres clinging to a one-goal lead in the third period. He also stymied the league’s second-leading scorer on a breakaway in the first period.

The Finn looked sharp throughout the night, anticipating plays as well as he has all season before the crowd of 18,263 fans in KeyBank Center.

“There was a couple of times (Luukkonen) was just ready for it,” Ruff said.

Of course, Luukkonen, who turned 26 on Sunday, is hardly the only player who has underperformed this season. The Sabres rank last in the Eastern Conference for a reason.

The win improved his record to 21-20-4 with a 3.11 goals-against average and an .892 save percentage in 47 games this season. He entered the night having lost five straight starts.

“I feel like everybody has to say it, but as a team and as a player, I have to be better,” Luukkonen said. “We’re not where we want to be. I’ve played a lot of games this season. There’s been good stretches and bad stretches, but, in the end, (I’m a) big part of the team as the starting goalie. …

“It’s not been all horrible, but in the end, I want to be better.”

Luukkonen’s exploits instill confidence in his teammates. As the Sabres struggled early Monday – the Oilers essentially possessed the puck for the opening six minutes – he kept them in the game.

“He made some big saves to keep us in it and calm us down a little bit to allow us to get to our game,” said Sabres winger Tage Thompson, who opened the scoring before potting the winner in the third period. “I think once we did that, we were good.”

The Sabres had allowed at least four goals in six straight games, yet they settled down and thwarted a potent offense featuring Draisaitl and superstar Connor McDavid.

Thompson said the Sabres did not overextend themselves in the defensive zone.

“Those guys are two of the best players in the world and really gonna to get you staring at the puck and looking for plays … away from them,” he said. “I thought we did a good job, guys away from the puck, just having an awareness behind and looking for seams and taking away lanes.”

Thompson opened the scoring at 13:28, burying his own rebound after Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner mishandled it.

Darnell Nurse tied it 1:35 into the second before winger Alex Tuch restored the Sabres’ lead from the slot at 3:52. Evan Bouchard’s power-play goal tied it again at 9:12.

Thompson scored the winner 3:20 into the third period, converting in front after newcomer Josh Norris, who was acquired in Friday’s trade with the Ottawa Senators, raced down the ice and outworked Bouchard for the puck.

Norris also won another battle in the defensive zone second before the goal.

“We were both chasing down the puck, wins another puck battle, slides it over, and I’m all alone in front,” Thompson said of his new center. “So great effort by him.”

Norris, who made his debut in Saturday’s 4-0 road loss to the Florida Panthers, looked more comfortable in his second outing.

“It’s going to take time,” Ruff said. “It was a hugely emotional game for him coming down to Florida, getting in there at midnight. It’s hard changing teams, you’re leaving a lot of good friends. It’ll take a while, but I liked his game tonight. I liked his game defensively and I liked the play he made offensively.

“I think that’s the player we see and the player that can play against top guys, play against top lines and still be a good offensive player.”