Buffalo Sabres Use Their Winning Formula By Switching Goalies Vs. Canadiens: 'It's What We Are'

MONTREAL – The Buffalo Sabres are set to make a goaltending change heading into Game 4 of the second round against the Montreal Canadiens, going from Alex Lyon to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Luukkonen started the playoffs for the Sabres in their first-round series against the Boston Bruins, but he was pulled in favor of Lyon, who posted a 1.21 goals-against average and .952 save percentage in Games 3 through 6 to help propel the Sabres to the next round.

After a strong Game 1 against the Canadiens, Lyon gave up nine goals over the next two games, which prompted Ruff to make a change.

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The Sabres also appear to be making two other lineup changes ahead of Tuesday night's game.

Rookie forward and 2024 first-round pick Konsta Helenius is expected to make his playoff debut. During the morning skate, Helenius centered a line alongside Jack Quinn and Jason Zucker, in place of Sam Carrick, who was wearing a non-contact jersey and did not skate on a line.

Helenius played in nine games for the Sabres during the 2025-26 campaign, recording four points. Buffalo recalled him after the Rochester Americans were eliminated from the AHL playoffs.

"I'm just happy I can play and show that I can help the team win, and play my own game," Helenius said.

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Luke Schenn also skated on a defensive pair with Conor Timmins in place of Logan Stanley.

The 36-year-old defenseman has not played since April 15, but Ruff expressed "experience" as the reasoning if Schenn were to slot into the lineup.

Schenn won two Stanley Cups as part of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021, while playing in 58 playoff games over the past 13 seasons.

"It's experience," Schenn said. "It's not the first time I've been in this situation where you just have to stay patient and stay ready. It happened to me in Tampa the first year for sure; I don't think I played at all in the first series and got going in the second series. You work with the coaches, work with the extras and keep yourself as ready as you can."

Time will only tell whether these lineup changes help the Sabres flip the script of this series or whether their fate will remain the same from the previous two games.

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This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 3:49 PM.