Alex Lyon will start Game 6 for the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens, another change in goal for a team that now has no margin left. The puck drops at 8 p.m. ET in a must-win game for Buffalo, while Montreal can reach the Eastern Conference Final by closing out the series.
The Sabres went back to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in Game 5, but he was pulled after two periods with Buffalo trailing 5-3 after allowing five goals on 23 shots. Lyon had opened the playoffs as Buffalo's starter and also took over in the third period of Game 2 of the first round against the Boston Bruins, then stayed in net until Game 4 after giving up nine goals over his previous two outings.
The numbers explain why Buffalo keeps searching. Lyon has played in nine games this postseason, making seven starts, and is 7-4-3 with a 2.25 goals-against average and a.917 save percentage. In the regular season, he went 20-10-4 in 36 games with a 2.77 goals-against average and a.907 save percentage.
Luukkonen, who started the playoffs as Buffalo's No. 1 goalie, has appeared in four games and is 2-2 with a 4.20 goals-against average and an.851 save percentage. During the regular season, he went 22-9-3 in 35 appearances with a 2.52 goals-against average and a.910 save percentage.
The latest switch comes after a series in which Buffalo has changed starting goaltenders multiple times. The Canadiens, meanwhile, need only finish the job to advance. For the Sabres, the decision to return to Lyon is less a fresh start than another attempt to find the one stop they could not get in Game 5.
There was also a question around the blue line on Saturday. Ruff said defenceman Owen Power is expected to play after leaving the third period of Game 5 when he fell hard into the boards feet-first, and Buffalo will have seven defencemen skate pre-game if he cannot go. Power played 21:52 in Game 5, picked up an assist in the first period, and has five assists in 11 games this postseason while averaging 20:44 of ice time.
