Michael Kesselring (ankle) will return from a two-game absence, resulting in Metsa being a healthy scratch on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens. The 27-yeer-old Metsa has two points (1G / 1A) in 20 games this season.
Luukkonen was terrific in Monday's 2-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, saving 27 of 29 shots (.931 SV%), and will hope for more goal support on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens. The 26-year-old Luukkonen has been solid in recent weeks, posting a 2.45 GAA and .919 SV% in his last nine games (6-2-1). The Sabres enter the action on Thursday as +105 road underdogs against a Canadiens team they defeated 3-2 one week ago.
Doan was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in the offseason and is having a breakout first season with his new team, earning a seven-year contract extension worth $48.65 million. The 23-year-old forward has 35 points (15G / 20A), 44 hits, and 109 shots in 49 games this season.
Kozak will draw out of Buffalo's lineup on Tuesday as they opt to get some fresh legs into their lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Jordan Greenway will play in his place.
After being activated from injured reserve on Monday, Lyon will make his first start of 2026 when the Sabres travel to Nashville on Tuesday. The 33-year-old goalie was on a marvelous run before his injury, winning each of his last seven starts while posting a 2.14 GAA and .919 SV%. Lyon will be looking to stay in the win column in Tuesday night's matchup with the Predators, where the Sabres enter action at +105 on the money line.
Luukkonen has been solid for the Sabres lately, but is coming off a performance where he struggled, allowing five goals on 35 shots (.857 SV%) in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild. That said, the 26-year-old Finnish goalie has helped his team record a point in seven of his last eight outings (6-1-1) while posting an impressive 2.51 GAA and .918 SV%. The Sabres enter Monday's contest as +166 road underdogs against a Carolina Hurricanes team that has outscored opponents 13-2 in its last two games (2-0-0).
Helenius was drafted 14th overall by Buffalo in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 19-year-old Finnish forward is in his second professional season and is set to make his NHL debut on Monday. He's had a solid season in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, scoring 30 points (9G / 21A) in 34 games.
Lyon was a full participant at practice on Sunday and was activated from Injured Reserve on Monday. Sabres' Head Coach Lindy Ruff insisted that Lyon would return to the crease at some point this week. The 33-year-old goalie was on a marvelous run before his injury, winning seven straight while posting a 2.14 GAA and .919 SV%.
Gearing up to play their second game in as many nights, the Sabres will turn to Ellis between the pipes when they host the Habs on Thursday. Ellis was tagged with the loss in his last start, allowing three goals on 31 shots in a 4-3 loss to the Panthers on Monday. The 25-year-old rookie has proven to be a reliable backstop for Buffalo this season, posting a 5-4-0 record and an even .900 SV% across ten appearances. The Sabres enter action on Thursday at +105 on the money line.
Norris was injured in Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers and will not play on Thursday. It's unclear when Norris suffered the injury, but he did not take another shift after assisting on Rasmus Dahlin's goal at the 13:51 mark of the second period. Injuries have been a concern for Norris in recent seasons, but he remains productive when healthy. He has 17 points (6G / 11A) in 19 games this season.
Helenius was drafted 14th overall by Buffalo in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 19-year-old Finnish forward is in his second professional season, but is still awaiting his NHL debut. He's had a solid season in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, scoring 30 points (9G / 21A) in 34 games.
It's unclear when Norris suffered the injury, but he did not take another shift after assisting on Rasmus Dahlin's goal at the 13:51 mark of the second period. We should get an update on Norris' status ahead of Buffalo's game against the Canadiens on Thursday.
Kozak has not played since suffering an upper-body injury in a 5-3 win over the Flyers back on December 18th. The 22-year-old Kozak has four points (2G / 2A) in 24 games this season. Jordan Greenway will sit in his place.
Luukkonen had the night off in Buffalo's previous game, but he will return to the crease on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 26-year-old Luukkonen has been solid in recent weeks, allowing three or fewer goals in all but two of his last 15 games (9-6-0), posting a serviceable 2.54 GAA and .909 SV%. The Sabres enter Wednesday's contest as -137 road favorites against a Flyers team that has been outscored 12-3 in their last two games (0-2-0).
Luukkonen had the night off in Buffalo's previous game, but he will likely return to the crease on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 26-year-old Luukkonen has been solid in recent weeks, allowing three or fewer goals in all but two of his last 15 games (9-6-0), posting a serviceable 2.54 GAA and .909 SV%. The Sabres enter Wednesday's contest as -137 road favorites against a Flyers team that has been outscored 12-3 in their last two games (0-2-0).
Ostlund will take a seat on Monday as Josh Dunne draws back into the Sabres lineup. Ostlund has seven goals and five assists in 32 games this season.
