Kulich, who only played 12 games last season because of a season-ending blood clot, called for the puck from Owen Power low in the left circle and snapped it short side past Spencer Knight during 4-on-4 play.
The forward last scored on Oct. 24, 2025, in a 5-3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. His last game of last season was Nov. 1, and he returned on Thursday in the Sabres’ season opener, a 6-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 12 saves for the Sabres (1-1-0).
Ryan Donato, Tyler Bertuzzi and Oliver Moore scored for the Blackhawks (0-3-0). Knight made 24 saves.
Rasmus Dahlin tied it 3-3 at 6:10 of the third period for the Sabres, taking a pass from Peyton Krebs at the right hashmark off the rush and beating Knight with a snap shot stick side.
Donato gave Chicago a 1-0 lead at 7:59 of the first period. Alex Vlasic carried the puck down the left side to the net before sending a centering pass to Donato in the slot.
Bertuzzi finished off a tic-tac-toe passing play to make it 2-0 at 11:24. Anton Frondell drew Luukkonen to him as he took a feed from Teuvo Teravainen in front and quickly passed it to Bertuzzi, who put it into the open net from the left side.
Jack Quinn’s wrist shot from above the slot went top right corner to cut it to 2-1 at 16:24.
Thompson tied it 2-2 at 5:41 of the second period. He won a face-off back to Louis Crevier at the right point and then went to the net to deflect Crevier’s shot past Knight.
Moore, fresh out of the penalty box, put the Blackhawks in front 3-2 when his wrist shot from low in the right circle on a 2-on-1 rolled through Luukkonen’s pads into the net at 18:18.
