Sabres send goalie Devon Levi to Rochester to get playing time

The Buffalo Sabres are sending goaltender Devon Levi to the Rochester Americans in an effort to get the 22-year-old more regular playing time, coach Lindy Ruff said after practice Monday in KeyBank Center.

Levi is 2-5 in seven games this season with a 3.95 goals-against average and .870 save percentage.

He took the loss Saturday in Philadelphia, allowing four goals on 31 shots in Buffalo's 5-2 loss to the Flyers, after making 24 saves in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over St.

Louis.

Prior to that run, Levi had made just one start in nearly a month.

That was a 4-3 loss Nov.

1 to the New York Islanders, when the inactivity clearly left him not sharp in the net.

The Buffalo Sabres and the St.

Louis Blues battle in front Sabres goaltender Devon Levi (27) in the second period of an NHL Hockey game at KeyBank Center on Thursday, Nov.

14, 2024.

"We've got to get him some games, get him playing," Ruff said.

"It will be the best thing for him.

He needs to play.

I think this is the first time in his career he's dealt with I think it was one game in a month.

That's not easy on a goaltender.

It's not easy on a young goaltender, because you need to find some rhythm.

You need to see like game-like chaos, which you don't get in practice." Starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who was injured in practice eight days ago and has not played since he was pulled after the second period Nov.

11 against Montreal, is fully recovered and ready to make the start when the Sabres open their three-game California road trip Wednesday night at Los Angeles.

Veteran James Reimer becomes Luukkonen's backup and likely will earn a start on this trip, as Buffalo has a back to back set for Friday in Anaheim and Saturday in San Jose.

Reimer, who started the season with the Sabres, was claimed on waivers by Anaheim and was then lost by the Ducks back to Buffalo on waivers Wednesday.

Levi had a strong run in Rochester last season, going 16-6-4, 2.42/.927, but the Sabres signed Luukkonen to a five-year contract in the offseason and he quickly claimed the No.

1 job coming out of training camp and earned the bulk of the work while Levi struggled to develop consistency.

In Sabres injury/roster news: Jordan Greenway has been downgraded to week to week after having an MRI on Monday and will not be going on the road trip.

The nature of his injury is undisclosed although Ruff said it was a lower-/middle-body ailment.

Alex Tuch sat out practice and Ruff said his status will be determined after the club works out again Tuesday at the Kings' facility in El Segundo, Calif.

Tage Thompson isn't sure about playing Wednesday night after pushing his lower-body injury hard Monday in practice.

Thompson said he felt some tension in the area but was happy to go through a full practice and said he was improving after his treatment session.

Ruff said it was a good day for Thompson, compared to the more leisurely pace of a morning skate that he went through Saturday in Philadelphia.

Ruff said Henri Jokiharju, who has been a healthy scratch on defense for the last six games, will return to the lineup Wednesday.

Based on Monday's alignment, it appears Connor Clifton will be the odd man out on defense and Jokiharju will be paired with Dennis Gilbert.

A News staffer since 1987, I'm a Baseball Hall of Fame voter, a 2013 inductee into the Buffalo Baseball HOF and the Buffalo chapter chair of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

And I insist only Chicago & New York can come close to Buffalo pizza.

Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Sports Columnist {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items..

This article has been shared from the original article on buffalonews, here is the link to the original article.