Buffalo Sabres News Page 62 - NHL

Erik Johnson - Not playing Saturday Johnson (upper body) won't play Saturday against Tampa Bay, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reports.

Impact Johnson will miss Saturday's contest after suffering the injury in Thursday's win over Chicago. The 35-year-old Johnson has three goals while averaging just 14:11 of ice time through 41 games in his first season with the Sabres. Mattias Samuelsson and Henri Jokiharju are both expected to return against Tampa Bay, helping to round out Buffalo's blue line.

JANUARY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Jeff Skinner - Unavailable Saturday Skinner (upper body) won't play Saturday against Tampa Bay, per Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News.

Impact Skinner, who is considered day-to-day, will miss his fifth straight contest. He has 17 goals and 33 points across 38 outings this campaign. Zach Benson is slated to play on the top line in Saturday's matchup versus Tampa Bay.

JANUARY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Henri Jokiharju - Game-time decision Jokiharju (general soreness) is a game-time decision versus Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Impact Jokiharju managed to participate in practice Friday, but he was the seventh defenseman. Jokiharju was a healthy scratch for two games a week ago, but has managed to play in the Sabres' last two games. He has two goals, seven assists, 41 hits and 45 blocked shots in 37 appearances this season.

JANUARY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Mattias Samuelsson - Questionable Saturday Samuelsson (upper body) is expected to be a game-time call Saturday versus the Lightning, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reports.

Impact Samuelsson missed the Sabres' last two contests after suffering an injury Jan. 13 against Vancouer. The 23-year-old blueliner has a goal, seven points and a plus-3 rating through 39 games this year. Samuelsson is expected to return to a top-pairing role alongside Rasmus Dahlin when healthy.

JANUARY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen - Tending twine Saturday Luukkonen will patrol the home crease versus Tampa Bay on Saturday, per Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News.

Impact Luukkonen has back-to-back shutouts and has only allowed one goal on 70 shots in his last three starts. He is 11-9-2 with a 2.64 GAA and a .909 save percentage this season. Luukkonen will be backed up by Eric Comrie, who was recalled from the AHL, while Devon Levi was sent down Saturday. The Lightning have scored 153 goals in 45 games, sixth in the NHL.

JANUARY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Jeff Skinner - Game-time call Saturday Skinner (upper body) is expected to be a game-time decision Saturday against Tampa Bay, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reports.

Impact Skinner has missed Buffalo's last four games after suffering an injury on Jan. 9 versus Seattle. While he was initially deemed week-to-week, the 31-year-old winger appears to be on track to return ahead of schedule. Skinner has 17 goals and 33 points in 38 games this season.

JANUARY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Eric Comrie - Recalled from AHL Comrie was called up from AHL Rochester on Saturday.

Impact Comrie will switch spots with Devon Levi, who was sent to the minors. Comrie will back up Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on Saturday versus Tampa Bay. Comrie was 1-5-0 with a 4.01 GAA and an .863 save percentage with the Sabres, before he was placed on waivers Dec. 31 and then sent to the AHL when he cleared. Comrie played well in the AHL, going 2-1-0 with a 1.67 GAA and a .951 save percentage.

JANUARY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Devon Levi - Rochester bound Levi was reassigned to AHL Rochester on Saturday.

Impact Levi was not getting a lot of playing time with the Sabres as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has established himself for the time being, as the Sabres' No. 1 goaltender. Levi needs plenty of playing time, something he will get with the Amerks. He is scheduled to get the start in goal versus AHL Springfield on Saturday. Eric Comrie was recalled from the AHL to back up Luukkonen.

JANUARY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Lightning out to transfer home success on road vs. Sabres The Tampa Bay Lightning have proven all season, and especially this month, that they are strong in defending their home ice.Now the chore of...

JANUARY 19 • KANSASCITY.COM

JANUARY 19 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

JANUARY 19 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Henri Jokiharju - Day-to-day Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald reported Friday that Jokiharju is day-to-day with general soreness.

Impact Jokiharju partook in practice Friday, but he was a seventh defenseman. Jokiharju has averaged 19:32 of ice time in two games this week and managed seven shots on goal Monday versus San Jose. He has two goals, seven assists, 40 shots on goal, 41 hits and 45 blocked shots in 37 games this season.

JANUARY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Erik Johnson - Dealing with upper-body issue Johnson is considered day-to-day due to an upper-body injury suffered against Chicago on Thursday, Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald reports.

Impact Johnson has recorded just one point in his last 23 games, so whether he plays or not against the Lightning on Saturday is unlikely to impact the majority of fantasy players. Even when healthy, the 35-year-old defenseman is far from a lock for the lineup and may have to periodically serve as a healthy scratch in favor of Ryan Johnson.

JANUARY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Erik Johnson - Leaves game Thursday Johnson (undisclosed) left Thursday's game versus Chicago early in the third period and did not return, Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reports.

Impact Johnson was not at practice Friday and should be regarded as questionable for Saturday's tilt versus Tampa Bay. He has three assists, 57 hits and 57 blocked shots in 41 contests this season. If Johnson is unable to play, Mattias Samuelsson (upper body) could be ready to return to action after missing two games.

JANUARY 19 • ROTOWIRE

JJ Peterka - Scores goal in win Peterka scored a goal on three shots in a 3-0 victory over Chicago on Thursday.

Impact Peterka appears to be finding his scoring touch again with two goals and eight shots in his last four outings. This recent offensive performance follows a 12-game goal drought that ran from mid-December to early January. The 22-year-old German has already set a new career high in goals and needs just five more points to reach a new personal best in that category as well.

JANUARY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Peyton Krebs - Bags apple Thursday Krebs notched an assist in Thursday's 3-0 win over the Blackhawks.

Impact Krebs has scored just one goal in his last 16 outings, adding two helpers and 24 shots over that stretch. Barring an injury in the lineup, the 22-year-old center figures to remain in a bottom-six role and shouldn't be expected to factor much with the man advantage, especially once Jeff Skinner (upper body) and Dylan Cozens (upper body) return to the lineup.

JANUARY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Lightning visit the Sabres following Cirelli's 2-goal performance

The Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Buffalo Sabres after Anthony Cirelli scored two goals in the Lightning's 7-3 win against the Minnesota Wild

JANUARY 19 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ryan Johnson - Three points in last two games Johnson picked up two assists in a 3-0 win over Chicago on Thursday.

Impact Both were primary assists. The 22-year-old rookie defender has three assists in his last two games. Johnson has been scratched several games this season, but the Sabres really need to commit to him. His advanced metrics all point to the Sabres having more puck possession with him on the ice than with him in the press box, and that is important to the Sabres transition game. That time may have come with Eric Johnson (undisclosed) leaving Thursday's game in the third period after he was hit heavily into the end boards.

JANUARY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen - Second shutout in row Luukkonen made 20 saves in a 3-0 win over Chicago on Thursday.

Impact It was Luukkonen's second straight shutout. He made 28 saves in a 3-0 win against the Sharks on Monday. Since the break, Luukkonen has gone 5-1-0 in six starts, allowing just seven goals total. How good has he been? In addition to the two shutouts, he allowed just a single goal in 1-0 loss in a goaltending duel with Thatcher Demko of the Canucks this past Saturday. Luukkonen has improved his save percentage to .909 and has emphatically seized the starter's role after some struggles earlier in the season. The Sabres need to win, and he's leading the way. Fantasy managers can begin to trust him again.

JANUARY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Sabres blank Blackhawks Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen collected his second straight shutout and the Buffalo Sabres won consecutive home games for the first time this season...

JANUARY 19 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Luukkonen gets 2nd straight shutout, Sabres defeat Blackhawks | NHL.com Makes 20 saves, Buffalo wins for 5th time in 7 games

JANUARY 19 • NHL.COM

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen makes 19 saves for 2nd straight shutout, Sabres beat Blackhawks 3-0

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 19 saves for his second consecutive shutout and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0 on Thursday night in a game moved back a day because of...

JANUARY 19 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

NHL Highlights | Blackhawks vs. Sabres - January 18, 2024

JANUARY 19 • YOUTUBE

The bank is OPEN in Buffalo! 🏦❄️

JANUARY 19 • YOUTUBE

Sabres' JJ Peterka Banks In Crazy Goal From Below The Goal Line To Extend Lead

JANUARY 19 • YOUTUBE

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Lightning visit the Sabres following Cirelli's 2-goal performance

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen makes 19 saves for 2nd straight shutout, Sabres beat Blackhawks 3-0

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Lightning visit the Sabres following Cirelli's 2-goal performance

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen makes 19 saves for 2nd straight shutout, Sabres beat Blackhawks 3-0