Sabres' Kesselring and Greenway Poised to Return

Goaltender Luukkonen takes over starting role as Buffalo prepares to face the Islanders.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 7:40pm

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting the dynamic movement and energy of a hockey game, with players and the ice deconstructed into abstract shapes and planes of color.A cubist interpretation of the Sabres' lineup changes and Luukkonen's rise to the starting role captures the fluid, ever-changing nature of the NHL season.Buffalo Today

The Buffalo Sabres are expected to have defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Jordan Greenway back in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the New York Islanders. Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has also taken over the starting role, with Alex Lyon being relegated to a backup role after two subpar starts. Luukkonen has been stellar in net lately, going 8-1-1 with a 2.34 goals against average and .924 save percentage in his last 11 games.

Why it matters

The return of Kesselring and Greenway will provide a boost to the Sabres' lineup as they look to continue their recent success. Luukkonen's emergence as the clear starting goaltender also solidifies the team's crease, which has been a point of emphasis throughout the season.

The details

In Monday's practice, Kesselring and Greenway were both slotted into the lineup, replacing Conor Timmins and Tyson Kozak. Luukkonen also had a net to himself, indicating he will likely get the start against the Islanders. This would be the first time Luukkonen has started back-to-back games since January. The 23-year-old goaltender has been stellar since the team started winning on December 9, posting a 14-3-2 record with a 2.39 goals against average and .922 save percentage.

  • Kesselring has been scratched for nine straight games.
  • Greenway has been out since Jan. 22 with an injury.
  • Luukkonen's last back-to-back starts were on Jan. 17 and 19 against the Minnesota Wild and Carolina Hurricanes.

The players

Michael Kesselring

A defenseman for the Buffalo Sabres who has been out of the lineup for the past nine games.

Jordan Greenway

A forward for the Buffalo Sabres who has been sidelined since Jan. 22 due to an injury.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

The starting goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres who has been stellar in net lately, going 8-1-1 with a 2.34 goals against average and .924 save percentage in his last 11 games.

Alex Lyon

The backup goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres who has had two subpar starts recently, leading to Luukkonen taking over the starting role.

Lindy Ruff

The head coach of the Buffalo Sabres who is encouraged by the progress of Kesselring and Greenway and believes they are ready to return to the lineup.

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What they’re saying

“I'm excited every time I get a chance to play and in the end it's a coach's decision, but I'm just looking forward to playing again tomorrow.”

— Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Goaltender

“We've put him on a regular line to take a good look, he's a lot better, he's been involved in non practice physicality drills that he's looked really good, he's skated really well, feedback I'm getting is he's feeling really great and he would be an option for tomorrow.”

— Lindy Ruff, Head Coach

What’s next

If Luukkonen does indeed get the start on Tuesday against the New York Islanders, it would be the first time he's gotten back-to-back starts since January.

The takeaway

The return of Kesselring and Greenway, combined with Luukkonen's emergence as the clear starting goaltender, provides a much-needed boost for the Sabres as they look to continue their recent success and make a push for the playoffs.