Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen rejoins Sabres early; Tage Thompson added to Team USA at 4 Nations

“UPL was a surprise guest,” coach Lindy Ruff joked following the Sabres’ 70-minute practice in KeyBank Center.

Luukkonen, 25, served as Team Finland’s third goalie, watching games from the press box as Jusse Saros and Kevin Lankinen handled the netminding duties.

He hasn’t played since Feb. 8, the Sabres’ last outing before the NHL began its break for the tournament, which concludes with Thursday’s highly anticipated championship game between Team Canada and Team USA in Boston.

Believe it or not, there’s a small chance the Sabres could be represented in the final.

Sabres winger Tage Thompson, a notable omission from the original US roster, and New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce have been invited to join the team as extras for Thursday’s game, according to multiple reports.

They can only play if there’s an injury or illness. More on Thompson, who practiced Wednesday in Buffalo, later

The Sabres’ other participants in the tournament, defensemen Rasmus Dahlin (Team Sweden) and Henri Jokiharju (Finland), are set to rejoin the team Thursday. Each played three games.

They received a well-deserved breather following their final outings Tuesday.

Luukkonen, having practiced every day during the break, said he feels ready to start Saturday afternoon’s home game against the New York Rangers.

He understood he could be the odd man out with three goalies on the roster.

“I just went there being ready for anything really,” he said. “If I was playing, I was going to be happy about it, and if I was not, I was just (going to) make the most out of it and be a good teammate.”

The experience of representing his country in a best-on-best tournament has boosted Luukkonen’s confidence. He tried to use his time wisely by examining how some of the world’s best players, including Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, handle themselves each day.

“You see what you can learn from them, what you can do differently on your own and kind of what it takes to be a great player in this league,” Luukkonen said. “… Barkov is a great example on how well he does things in practice and games. I feel like he’s a leader who kind of leads by example. There’s so many players on the Finnish team you can learn from, and just being a part of that is great.”

After the Sabres returned to practice Tuesday, Thompson, 27, acknowledged being left off the 4 Nations roster was “tough.”

“I think not being selected to 4 Nations gives you a little bit of that hunger, a little bit of a chip on your shoulder to try and prove something going forward,” he said. “But I think those things will take care of themselves as long as you’re doing the right things to help your team here, which is the main focus.

“I feel like if I’m doing those things – playing a full 200-foot (game), trying to help our team win on a nightly basis – I think those things go a long way and the rest kind of falls into place.”

Thompson has compiled 26 goals and 48 points, both team highs, in 48 games this season.

He last played for the US at the 2021 World Championship.

Following Wednesday’s practice, the longest since training camp, Ruff said the Sabres will hold off-ice workouts and have video sessions Thursday. They’re scheduled to practice again Friday.

“They’ve been busting on me about my comment about just one hour of work,” Ruff joked. “I was running a little bit overtime today. Time and a half.”

While Ruff skated his players hard at the end of session, he said other practices this season have been more difficult.

Americans coach Mike Leone told reporters in Rochester prior to Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Monsters that center Tyson Kozak is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Kozak, 22, played his first 11 NHL games earlier this season, scoring one goal for the Sabres. They sent him back to the AHL when the break began.

Sabres winger Beck Malenstyn, who has missed the last two games battling back spasms, returned to practice Wednesday.