Buffalo sending rookie goaltender down to the AHL to get some game action before Sabres head out west
The Buffalo Sabres for the second time this season have sent rookie goaltender Devon Levi to the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League, but as with his previous demotion at the end of November, it coincides with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen being used heavily and getting the 22-year-old netminder some work.
Levi has not seen action since the Sabres 5-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on January 9. Luukkonen has made the last four starts and gone 3-1-0, with consecutive shutouts against San Jose and Chicago, and will start in the final game of Buffalo’s six-game homestand against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon.
Veteran Eric Comrie has been recalled from the AHL to serve as Luukkonen’s backup, but in spite of playing well in his short stint in Rochester (2-1-0, 1.67 GAA, .951 save %), it appears that Levi’s demotion is to get him some game action in advance of the Sabres California road swing next week. The Amerks play Springfield on Saturday afternoon at home.
The Sabres carried three goalies through the first quarter of the season, in part because Luukkonen and Comrie would have both required waivers to be sent down to the AHL. Levi has struggled with consistency in his first full NHL season. He was sent down after going 3-4-1 in nine appearances in October and November.
It was unknown whether the plan was to keep Levi with the Amerks for a longer stretch when the youngster was sent down in November, but Luukkonen’s illness kept his AHL stint at just two games.
"We talk about (Devon's situation) every day," Sabres head coach Don Granato said on Friday before the demotion was announced. "Every day, you're engaging 'okay, what's the best for development and obviously the best for our team. We're in a win-now situation, which is a good place to be. We're no longer in the development situation."
Buffalo starts their three-game pre-All-Star break road trip with back-to-back games against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday and the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.
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