Jokiharju was a surprise scratch on Tuesday along with Mattias Samuelsson, with neither absence being announced prior to warmups. Connor Clifton and Dennis Gilbert will draw into the lineup in their place.
Benson has not played the last five games due to a lower-body injury but will return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators. Benson had played six of seven games to start the season for the Sabres before his injury, scoring zero points and recording a -4 plus/minus. In a corresponding move, the Sabres have reassigned Jiri Kulich to the Rochester Americans (AHL).
With Zach Benson (lower body) ready to return from a five-game absence, Kulich has been sent down to the Rochester Americans (AHL). The 20-year-old Kulich scored one point (1G / 0A) in eight games with the Sabres this season.
The Sabres will turn to Luukkonen between the pipes on Tuesday for the sixth time in the last seven games. Luukkonen has lost two straight but was solid in his previous outing, allowing two goals on 23 shots (.913 SV%) in a 2-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. The 25-year-old Luukkonen will look to improve on his 3.16 GAA and .893 SV% through eight games this season (3-4-1). The Sabres enter the action on Tuesday as slight -100 underdogs against the Ottawa Senators, sporting a 6-5-0 record through 11 games this season.
The Sabres will likely turn to Luukkonen between the pipes on Tuesday for the sixth time in the last seven games. Luukkonen has lost two straight but was solid in his previous outing, allowing two goals on 23 shots (.913 SV%) in a 2-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. The 25-year-old Luukkonen will look to improve on his 3.16 GAA and .893 SV% through eight games this season (3-4-1). The Sabres enter the action on Tuesday as slight -100 underdogs against the Ottawa Senators, sporting a 6-5-0 record through 11 games this season.
Benson has not played the last five games due to a lower-body injury but has practiced with the team the last several days and could return to the lineup as soon as Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators. Benson had played six of seven games to start the season for the Sabres before his injury, scoring zero points and recording a -4 plus/minus.
Benson has not played the last three games due to a lower-body injury but is nearing a return after returning to practice on Friday. Benson has played six of seven games to start the season for the Sabres before his injury, scoring zero points and recording a -4 plus/minus.
After evenly alternating goalies for the first two weeks of the season, the Sabres settled into starting Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for the last five games. That said, they will return to Levi between the pipes on Friday in the front end of a back-to-back. The 23-year-old Levi started the season strong in his first two outings before a disastrous performance, allowing six goals on 25 shots (.760 SV%) in a 6-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, keeping him from occupying the net in two weeks. The Sabres enter the action on Friday as -111 home favorites against a New York Islanders club that has scored only 22 goals this season, tied for fewest in the league.
After evenly alternating goalies for the first two weeks of the season, the Sabres settled into starting Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for the last five games. That said, they will likely return to Levi between the pipes on Friday in the front end of a back-to-back. The 23-year-old Levi started the season strong in his first two outings before a disastrous performance, allowing six goals on 25 shots (.760 SV%) in a 6-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, keeping him from occupying the net in two weeks. The Sabres enter the action on Friday as -111 home favorites against a New York Islanders club that has scored only 22 goals this season, tied for fewest in the league.
Kulich will take a seat on Monday to make room for the return of Nicolas Aube-Kubel (lower-body). Kulich has registered one goal and zero assists in seven games this season.
Benson has played six of seven games to start the season for the Sabres, scoring zero points and recording a -4 plus/minus, but has missed the last two due to a lower-body injury. Benson's move to Injured Reserve allows Aube-Kubel to draw back into the lineup for the Sabres.
After evenly rotating between Devon Levi and Luukkonen in the first six games of the season, Luukkonen seems to have settled in as the Sabres' starting netminder and will be in the crease for a fourth straight contest on Monday night against the Florida Panthers. The 25-year-old Luukkonen was inconsistent at the start of the season but has allowed three or fewer goals in his last three outings (3-0-0), posting a solid .924 SV%. The Sabres enter the action on Monday as +134 home underdogs against the Panthers.
Aube-Kubel has not played since suffering a lower-body injury after only 5:45 time-on-ice in the opening game of the season. The 28-year-old signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Sabres in the offseason after a 2023-24 campaign with the Washington Capitals where he scored 16 points (6G / 10A) in 60 games.
Power exited Saturday's 5-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in the third period due to an illness but was back at practice on Sunday and will be in the lineup on Monday against the Florida Panthers. The 22-year-old defenseman is riding a four-game point streak, scoring six points (1G / 5A).
