Cyclones alumni Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will make his NHL debut this evening as he mans the crease for the Buffalo Sabres as they take on the Boston Bruins.
Luukkonen is the 25th former Cyclones player to ascend to the NHL and the 695th ECHL alum to appear in an NHL game all-time and the 17th this season.
A 2017 2nd round draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres, Luukkonen appeared in 23 games for the Cyclones last season posting a 12-7-3 record, 2.24 goals-against average and a 91.2% save percentage. December 2019 was especially good for the Finnish goaltender earning ECHL Goaltender of the Month accolades. Luukonen also appeared in 10 games for the AHL Rochester Americans last year as he split time between the ECHL and AHL.
“Ukko has worked very hard for this opportunity and we are excited to see him fulfill his dream of playing in the NHL,” said Cyclones Head Coach Matt Thomas. “His dedication and commitment to excellence was evident in his time in Cincinnati. He is deserving of the first step in what we know will be a long productive career.”
This season, UPL has appeared in 14 games with Rochester posting a 7-5-2 record. Luukkonen is no stranger to playing on a big stage as he has also seen time on the international stage with the Finnish National Team, earning a gold medal in both the 2019 Under-20 World Junior Championships and 2017 Under-18 World Junior Championships. He also helped backstop the Finnish squad to a silver medal in the 2017 U18 WJC. Luukkonen has also suited up on the Finnish club level for the HPK program from 2014-18, winning a Jr. A SM-liiga Championship in 2017.
The Cyclones return to the Heritage Bank Center ice on Saturday, October 30th. Stay tuned all off-season for updates on important events, player signings, promotion and ticketing information and MORE! Call (513) 421-PUCK for tickets and more information, and stay on top of all the latest team updates and information on Facebook, Twitter (@CincyCyclones), and Instagram, along with our website, www.cycloneshockey.com!
