Sabres pull Lyon again after 3 goals on 4 shots
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Alex Lyon started Game 6 for Buffalo facing elimination but was pulled at the 10:14 mark of the first period after surrendering three goals on four shots
- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen entered in relief after Jake Evans scored his second goal of the postseason to push Montreal's lead to 3-1
- Rasmus Dahlin staked Buffalo to a 1-0 lead with his third playoff tally just 32 seconds in, the only highlight before the crease collapsed
- Ivan Demidov and Arber Xhekaj also lit the lamp in the first period for Montreal, while Jason Zucker answered with a power-play goal at 13:56 to cut it to 3-2
- Coach Lindy Ruff declined to name a starter after morning skate, and Lyon had also been chased in Game 5 after allowing five goals in a 6-3 loss
- Entering Saturday, Lyon was 4-3 with a 2.25 GAA and .917 save percentage this postseason, while Luukkonen was 2-2 with a 4.20 GAA and .851 save percentage
Why it matters: Buffalo's goaltending carousel has now burned through both Lyon and Luukkonen in back-to-back games at the worst possible moment. With Lyon's 3-goals-on-4-shots crater coming after he was also chased in Game 5, Lindy Ruff is now handing an elimination game to a backup carrying a 4.20 goals-against average and an .851 save percentage in the playoffs.