The Buffalo Sabres look like they are putting their faith in a familiar face at goaltender in a pivotal Wednesday night matchup.
It is no secret that Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has regressed early in 2026-27. The Espoo, Finland product may have a 3-2-2 record, but his numbers are nothing to write home about. Still, the Sabres are slated to start Luukkonen on Wednesday when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers, as confirmed by Daily Faceoff via Mike Harrington.
So far this season, Luukkonen has an abysmal .167 quality starts percentage. But Harrington was quick to point this out: “He’s at 3-2-2, 3.59/.860 for season and 2-0-2, 3.24/.897 in last four.”
So, it’s not like Luukkonen’s overall numbers completely reflect his play. He will also face a team that has won two straight, including a massive upset over the mighty Colorado Avalanche.
Still, Philadelphia has still scored just 17 goals in 11 games, and they have yet to score more than three goals in a single contest. If there is a game for Luukkonen to solidify that he’s back on track, it’s Wednesday night’s matchup.
On the other end of the rink, Daily Faceoff also confirmed via Heather Engel that Dan Vladar will start for the Flyers. Like Luukkonen, Vladar has had some trouble early in the season. He is 1-3-1 with an .889 save percentage and a 3.58 GAA. Vladar, however, is boasting a .600 quality starts percentage.
In his four starts since that forgettable season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vladar has posted a .911 save percentage with 11 goals allowed, good for 2.75 per game. Therefore, the Sabres’ lines and pairings could have their hands full if Vladar is ready to roll.
Buffalo Sabres Projected Lines And Pairings vs. Philadelphia
Per Daily Faceoff via Rachel Lenzi (from Tuesday), the projected first line is Josh Doan, Jiri Kulich, and Tage Thompson. Tage is tied for the team lead in points with nine and five goals. Projected second-liner Jack Quinn also has nine points and five goals so far, and he looks like he will be the right winger, with Zach Benson taking left wing and Noah Ostlund as the center.
The third line looks like Jason Zucker, Josh Norris, and Konsta Helenius. This will be Zucker’s season debut should the projection hold. Zucker would add another layer to Buffalo’s scoring, as he is coming off a 24-goal season. Finally, Peyton Krebs, Ryan McLeod, and Beck Malenstyn are the projected fourth liners. With 39 hits so far, Malenstyn is once again one of the league’s most aggressive players.
Mattias Samuelsson and Rasmus Dahlin look like the first pairing. Samuelsson is building off his breakout season, with seven points and two goals in nine games. Olen Zellweger and Owen Power are the projected second pairing. Power leads all Sabres defensemen with eight points, with two goals to go with it.
Zach Metsa and Louis Crevier are pegged in for the third pairing. They have a combined 25 blocked shots this season.
Tyson Kozak and Dennis Gilbert are the projected scratches. Meanwhile, Justin Danforth, Sam Carrick, Matt Grzelyck, Alex Lyon, and Conor Timins remain sidelined.
Sabres Look To Keep Pace In A Tough Atlantic Division
With seven teams posting 10 or more points already in 2026-27, the Atlantic Division is as advertised. For the Sabres, that means keeping pace with some of the NHL’s heaviest hitters. If they can get the job done on Wednesday night vs. Philadelphia, those two points could end up carrying a lot of value. Even early in the season.
But the Flyers, despite their shortcomings, won’t be easy. Philadelphia has already moved up to sixth in the Metropolitan, where they are tied with the Penguins. A win or an overtime loss will let them take over sixth place for themselves as they look to claw their way back into early-season contention.
This could be one memorable early-season matchup. The puck will drop at 7:30 EDT.
Sabres’ Goaltending Decision Comes With An Early-Season Concern