Die By The Blade · Feb 23, 2023
When Is The Right Time To Switch Goalies Mid-Game?
When the Toronto Maple Leafs scored three goals in quick succession on Tuesday night, taking an early 3-0 lead less than eight minutes into the game, perhaps that could have been a time where Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato swapped his goaltenders.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had allowed three goals on six shots, a rough start to the evening. Instead of yanking him out of the net, though, Granato kept the 23-year-old in.
Less than five minutes later, Luukkonen was finally pulled - but not until after he’d allowed a fourth goal against. He faced 10 shots in 12:09 before Craig Anderson came in to his relief.