NEW YORK – Buffalo Sabers goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonenwho led rookie netminders with six wins in nine starts (6-2-1, 3.05 GAA, .907 SV%) to help Buffalo climb within one point of a playoff spot, has been named the NHL’s “Rookie of the Month” for January.
Luukkonen edged Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar (5-0-1, 2.63 GAA, .908 SV%), Nashville Predators center Juuso Parssinen (2-10-12 in 13 GP), Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers (6-5-11 in 13 GP), Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti (1-8-9 in 14 GP) and Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Kirill Marchenko (8-0-8 in 16 GP) for the honor.
Luukkonen made at least 25 saves in seven of his nine January appearances, including five contests with 30 or more stops. He made 39 saves (two shy of his career high) Jan. 7 vs. MIN to extend his personal winning streak to a career-best six games dating to Dec. 15, the longest such run by a Sabers rookie since Ryan Miller also won six straight from Jan. 24 – Feb. 7, 2006.
Luukkonen, who went 6-2-0 in eight December starts (3.12 GAA, .908 SV%), became Buffalo’s first rookie goaltender with six or more victories in consecutive calendar months since Don Edwards in February (6-2-2 in 10 GP) and March (6-3-3 in 12 GP) 1978 and the first rookie netminder on any team to do so since Jordan Binnington in February (10-1-0 in 11 GP) and March (6-3-0 in 9 GP) 2019 with the St. Louis Blues.
The 23-year-old Luukkonen, a second-round pick (54th overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft, shares second place among rookie goaltenders with 13 wins in 20 total contests this season (13-5-2, 3.26 GAA, .900 SV%).
The first Sabers player to win “Rookie of the Month” honors since left wing Victor Olofsson In December 2019, Luukkonen joined the Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto (October), Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson (November) and Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (December) as a recipient in 2022-23.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in January
Date, Opponent, SA, SV, GA, MIN, Result
Jan. 3, at Washington, 32, 28, 4, 63:00, 5-4 OT W
Jan. 7, MINNESOTA, 44, 39, 5, 64:41, 6-5 OT W
Jan. 12, WINNIPEG, 26, 23, 3, 58:35, 4-2 L
Jan. 14, at Nashville, 41, 38, 3, 60:00, 5-3 W
Jan. 16, FLORIDA, 33, 30, 3, 59:12, 4-1 L
Jan. 19, NY ISLANDERS, 26, 24, 2, 59:41, 3-2 OT W
Jan. 21, ANAHEIM, 37, 34, 3, 59:51, 6-3 W
Jan. 24, at St. Louis, 28, 25, 3, 60:00, 5-3 W
Jan. 28, at Minnesota, 35, 33, 2, 65:00, 3-2 SO L
Totals 302, 274, 28, 550:00, 6-2-1
.