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Buffalo Sabres News
Zach Benson is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Benson has been dealing with a lower-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup for three of the Sabres' last five games and has now been given a week-to-week designation. The rookie has two points (0G / 2A) along with six shots on goal while averaging 13:17 time-on-ice through six games.

Zach Benson
Connor Clifton has been suspended for two games for an illegal check to the head.

Clifton delivered an illegal check to the head of Nico Hischier of the New Jersey Devils in the Sabres' 5-4 loss on Friday night. He received a match penalty on the play and has subsequently been suspended for two games. Hischier was forced to leave the game for the Devils and has already been ruled out for their next contest on Sunday. In eight games this season, Clifton has one point (0G / 1A) and has racked up 28 penalty minutes along with a -6 plus/minus rating.

Connor Clifton
Luukkonen will start Sunday vs. Colorado.

With Eric Comrie and Devon Levi both still unavailable due to lower-body injuries, the Sabres will turn to Luukkonen on Sunday. Luukkonen stopped 18 of the 21 shots he faced in relief of Comrie in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Devils. The 24-year-old netminder will need to string together some stronger performances if he wants to continue challenging for starts following the returns of Levi and Comrie. Luukkonen owns an .881 SV% and a 4.78 GAA through two appearances this season.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Erik Brannstrom (concussion) will be out indefinitely.

Brannstrom's injury comes with news that fellow defenseman Thomas Chabot will be out 4-6 weeks due to a fractured hand, seriously draining the Senators' defensive core. In seven games this season, Brannstrom has zero points, nine shots, four penalty minutes, and a +1 plus/minus rating. Expect the Senators to make a call-up for their depleted blue line.

Erik Brannstrom
James Reimer will start Thursday vs. Winnipeg.

Reimer, who has a sparking 1.00 GAA and .963 SV% in two games (2-0-0), will return to the crease for the Red Wings on Thursday and hope to build on his terrific start to the season. This will mark Reimer's second start in the Red Wings' last three games. Albeit a very small sample size, Reimer has outperformed starting goaltender Ville Husso and could be in line for more starts if he can continue shutting the door for the Red Wings. The Red Wings will look to rebound after losing for the first time in six games (5-0-1) against a Winnipeg Jets team that is 3-3-0 to start the season.

James Reimer
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will get his first start of the season on Tuesday vs. Ottawa.

With the Sabres' on the second half of a back-to-back, Devon Levi (lower-body) injured, and Eric Comrie starting yesterday, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to make his season debut Tuesday vs. Ottawa. Luukkonen has yet to make an appearance in 2023-24 but was 17-11-4 with a .892 SV% and a 3.61 GAA in 32 games started with the Sabres in 2022-23. He takes on the Ottawa Senators, who snapped a three-game losing streak with a loss last game but are third in the NHL in goals per game (4.2).

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Jason Zucker is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Zucker is week-to-week after exiting Saturday's game against the Anaheim Ducks with an upper-body injury. In his first season with the Coyotes, Zucker has two points (2G / 0A), 14 shots, and 7 hits in five games. Jan Jenik and Zach Sanford have both been recalled from the Tuscon Roadrunners (AHL).

Jason Zucker
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to make his first start of the season Tuesday vs. Ottawa.

With the Sabres' on the second half of a back-to-back, Devon Levi (lower-body) injured, and Eric Comrie starting yesterday, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to make his season debut Tuesday vs. Ottawa. Luukkonen has yet to make an appearance in 2023-24 but was 17-11-4 with a .892 SV% and a 3.61 GAA in 32 games started with the Sabres in 2022-23. He takes on the Ottawa Senators, who snapped a three-game losing streak with a loss last game but are third in the NHL in goals per game (4.2).

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Devon Levi (lower body) will be out for at least Buffalo's next two games Monday and Tuesday.

Levi will remain out of the lineup for at least the next two games while he recovers from a lower-body injury. Eric Comrie, who was excellent filling in for Levi on Saturday by making 24 of 25 saves in a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders, will tend the crease for the Sabres on Monday. Levi has a 3.26 GAA and .890 SV% in four games (1-3-0) and isn't expected to miss a significant amount of time.

Devon Levi
Jacob Bernard-Docker was recalled from Belleville (AHL) on Monday.

Bernard-Docker was recalled by Ottawa after a brief two-game stint with Belleville (AHL) where he had zero points and a +1 plus/minus rating. The 26th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has two points (0G / 2A) in 33 career NHL games across the last four seasons. He is projected to play alongside Thomas Chabot on the Senators' third defensive pairing.

Jacob Bernard-Docker
Devon Levi (lower body) will not be dressing for Saturday vs. the New York Islanders.

Levi is currently day-to-day as he nurses a lower-body injury and will not be in the Sabres' lineup Saturday. Levi has been the starting goalie for each of the Sabres' four games thus far (1-3-0), recording a 3.26 GAA and .890 SV%. Eric Comrie will be replacing him as the Sabres' starters net.

Devon Levi
Zach Benson (lower body) will be out Saturday vs. the New York Islanders.

Benson was not a participant at practice on Friday as he recovers from a lower-body injury and will be out Saturday vs. the New York Islanders. The 18-year-old rookie has two points (0G / 2A) in four NHL games this season, averaging 14:03 time-on-ice. Since he cannot play Saturday, Benson will likely be replaced by Victor Olofsson, who is coming off consecutive healthy scratches.

Zach Benson
Ottawa has recalled Jacob Bernard-Docker from Belleville (AHL).

Bernard-Docker did not pick up a point in his two games played with Belleville (AHL) but has been recalled to Ottawa Friday. The 23-year-old defensemen cleared waivers after not originally making the Senators' roster but with the recent injury to Artem Sub will find himself back up with the big club. In 19 games in 2022-23 he had one assist, 11 PIMs, 22 SOG, and a -2 plus/minus with Ottawa.

Jacob Bernard-Docker
Zach Benson is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Benson was not a participant at practice on Friday as he recovers from a lower-body injury. The 18-year-old rookie has two points (0G / 2A) in four NHL games this season, averaging 14:03 time-on-ice. If he cannot play on Saturday, Benson will likely be replaced by Victor Olofsson, who is coming off consecutive healthy scratches.

Zach Benson
Devon Levi (lower body) is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Levi is currently day-to-day as he nurses a lower-body injury. Levi has been the starting goalie for each of the Sabres' four games thus far (1-3-0), recording a 3.26 GAA and .890 SV%. It is unclear at this time if Eric Comrie or Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen man the crease in Levi's absence.

Devon Levi
Devon Levi will start Thursday vs. Calgary.

Levi's mixed results to start the season haven't deterred Don Granato and the Sabres coaching brass from their early-season commitment, as Levi is set to start for the fourth consecutive game. In three games this season, Levi has a 3.00 GAA and .890 SV% as the rookie continues to accustom himself to the NHL level. Levi is coming off arguably his best performance of the season, in which he saved 21 of 23 shots for his first. The Sabres face off tonight as +114 home underdogs against the Calgary Flames, who have had mixed results themselves, being outscored 10-9 in their first three contests (1-1-1).

Devon Levi