Luukkonen served as the backup on Saturday to allow Devon Levi to return to the crease but appears to be the Sabres' starter on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. In his most recent game, Luukkonen surrendered five goals on 19 shots in a lopsided 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers. Before that, Luukkonen was in the midst of a four-game stretch (3-1-0) where he saved 113 of 122 shots (.926 SV%). The Sabres will hope that Luukkonen can re-channel that early-season form as they are heavy +200 road underdogs on Tuesday.

Samuelsson played just 2:28 TOI before leaving Friday's game vs. the Flyers with a lower-body injury. If he's unavailable for Saturday's game in Toronto, look for Jacob Bryson to re-enter the Sabres' lineup.

Luukkonen will be the starter on Friday as the Sabres search for their third consecutive victory. Luukkonen has saved 61 of the last 63 shots he's faced (.968 SV%) over the last two games (2-0-0) and is currently doing everything in his ability to ensure he continues to see game-action, even with a healthy Devon Levi in the roster. The Sabres are -162 home favourites against a Philadelphia Flyers team that has been outscored 15-8 over their last three games (0-3-0) and will likely be without their starting goalie, Carter Hart.

Bryson will sit in the press box as a healthy scratch on Friday to make room for Connor Clifton, who will return to the Sabres lineup after serving a two-game suspension. During those two games, Bryson registered a -1 plus/minus, four blocks, and two hits while averaging 10:56 time-on-ice.

Tuch will play on Friday after not participating in practice on Thursday. In 10 games, Tuch has seven points (1G / 6A) while averaging 18:06 time-on-ice, over a full minute less than his average ice time during the 2022-23 season.

Benson has missed five of the last seven games with a lower-body injury and has been placed on the injured reserve, retroactive to October 29th. The rookie has two points (0G / 2A) along with six shots on goal while averaging 13:17 time-on-ice through six games.

Luukkonen appears to be the starter on Friday as the Sabres search for their third consecutive victory. Luukkonen has saved 61 of the last 63 shots he's faced (.968 SV%) over the last two games (2-0-0) and is currently doing everything in his ability to ensure he continues to see game-action, even with a healthy Devon Levi in the roster. The Sabres are -162 home favourites against a Philadelphia Flyers team that has been outscored 15-8 over their last three games (0-3-0) and will likely be without their starting goalie, Carter Hart.

Tuch did not participate in the Sabres' skate Thursday after missing practice due to maintenance and is a game-time decision Friday vs. Philadelphia after Lukas Rousek was recalled from Rochester (AHL). The 27-year-old right-winger has a goal, six assists, 20 SOG, 18 PIMs and a +1 plus/minus through 10 games this season.

Byram was listed as a game-time decision for Wednesday's game but will suit up for his ninth game of the season. Byram enters the evening with one goal and one assist (two points) while firing 11 shots on goal and averaging 18:39 TOI/gm.

Devon Levi has officially returned to the Sabres' lineup after missing five games with a lower-body injury but will serve as the backup, at least for his first game, to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Luukkonen didn't get his chance to be the number-one goaltender in Buffalo until Eric Comrie (lower-body) also went down with an injury but has filled in admirably after being called upon. Coming off his best performance thus far, a 23-save shutout victory over the Colorado Avalanche, Luukkonen has a 2.84 GAA and .915 SV% in three games this season (2-1-0). The Sabres are slight +101 road underdogs against a Philadelphia Flyers team that has done a decent job finding the back of the net, averaging 3.33 goals per game so far this season (4-4-1).

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said Byram could play on Wednesday against the St. Louis Blue but will be a game-time decision. The 22-year-old defenseman has two points (1G / 1A) in eight games while averaging 18:40 time-on-ice. Caleb Jones was recalled earlier from the Colorado Eagles (AHL) and could be an option to slide into the lineup if Byram is unable to go.

Levi appears ready to return to the Sabres lineup on Wednesday after missing five games with a lower-body injury. He has a 3.26 GAA and .892 SV% in four games (1-3-0) this season. It is still unclear if Levi will return as the starting goalie or the backup on Wednesday to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who is coming off a 23-save shutout against the Colorado Avalanche.

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.

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.

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.

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).