Why Sabres are giving Konsta Helenius his NHL playoff debut, and whose place he's taking in line changes
Why Sabres are giving Konsta Helenius his NHL playoff debut, and whose place he's taking in line changes originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Buffalo Sabres are mixing things up in the hopes of saving their season.
On Tuesday night in Montreal, the 19-year old Konsta Helenius will make his NHL playoff debut. It's Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, and the Sabres trail 2-1 in the best-of-seven series to the Canadiens.
Helenius is in the lineup for the first time this postseason after being called up from the AHL Rochester Americans when their season ended, and it's a bold call from head coach Lindy Ruff.
It also might be exactly the jolt the Sabres need.
He had 21 goals and 41 assists (62 points) in his 63 AHL games this season. With the Sabres, Helenius had four points in nine games -- a goal and three assists.
MORE: The Sabres are making a goalie change tonight, too
Why is Konsta Helenius playing, and for whom?
The Sabres have lacked scoring punch from their lines that aren't the Zach Benson-Josh Norris-Josh Doan group.
Even the first line has struggled, although Tage Thompson got back on the board in Game 3.
The Sabres are going for the scoring ability at the center spot of Helenius.
He takes the place of Sam Carrick, who took a big punch at the end of Game 3 but also was just coming back from injury already and is more of a faceoff-winning, gritty player than a scorer.
MORE: The Mitch Marner irony of Auston Matthews' future with the Maple Leafs
Buffalo Sabres forward lines for Game 4
This is how the Sabres lined up at morning skate, according to The Athletic's Matthew Fairburn:
- Peyton Krebs - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
- Zach Benson - Josh Norris - Josh Doan
- Jason Zucker - Konsta Helenius - Jack Quinn
- Beck Malenstyn - Ryan McLeod - Jordan Greenway
This also means that Tyson Kozak isn't in the lineup, as McLeod moves down with Malenstyn and Greenway on the fourth line.
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