Jiri Kulich’s first goal since returning from a season-ending blood clot gave the Buffalo Sabres their first win of the season, a 4-3 comeback decision over the Chicago Blackhawks at KeyBank Center on Saturday.
Key takeaways
- Kulich snapped home the winner during 4-on-4 play in the third period after missing most of last season.
- Buffalo erased deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to improve to 1-1-0.
- Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson supplied the tying goals before Kulich put Buffalo ahead for good.
- Chicago remained winless at 0-3-0 despite goals from Ryan Donato, Tyler Bertuzzi and Oliver Moore.
- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 12 shots, while Chicago goaltender Spencer Knight made 24 saves.
Kulich finishes Buffalo’s third-period push
The decisive play came after Dahlin had pulled the Sabres even 3-3 at 6:10 of the third. Peyton Krebs carried the puck into the attacking end and fed Dahlin at the right hash marks, where the Buffalo captain fired a stick-side shot past Knight.
Kulich then delivered the winner in open ice at 4-on-4. Owen Power had the puck low in the left circle when Kulich called for it, received the pass and beat Knight short side.
It was a meaningful moment for the young forward, whose previous goal came Oct. 24, 2025, in a 5-3 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kulich played only 12 games last season before a blood clot ended his year following his Nov. 1 appearance. He returned Thursday in Buffalo’s 6-3 season-opening loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Thompson had a goal and an assist in the win. His second-period marker brought the Sabres level after Chicago’s early two-goal jump: Thompson won a draw back to defenseman Louis Crevier at the right point, drove to the crease and redirected Crevier’s shot beyond Knight at 5:41.
Blackhawks build leads, but cannot close it out
Chicago opened the scoring at 7:59 of the first period. Alex Vlasic drove down the left side and took the puck toward the net before finding Donato in the slot for the finish.
The Blackhawks doubled their advantage at 11:24 on a sharp passing sequence. Teuvo Teravainen sent the puck to Anton Frondell in front, and Frondell drew Luukkonen before sliding a quick pass across to Bertuzzi, who had an empty net from the left side.
Buffalo got within one before the first intermission when Jack Quinn wired a wrist shot from above the slot into the top-right corner at 16:24.
After Thompson tied it in the second, Moore restored Chicago’s lead late in the frame. Coming out of the penalty box, Moore joined a 2-on-1 and fired from low in the right circle at 18:18. The puck slipped through Luukkonen’s pads and crossed the line for a 3-2 Blackhawks lead.
That edge lasted into the third, but Buffalo’s push through Dahlin and Kulich turned the game around. Knight faced 28 shots in defeat, while Luukkonen handled the 15 shots that reached him as the Sabres began their home slate with a comeback win.
