‘Like a dream’ | Kulich announces return with game winner against Blackhawks

Jiri Kulich dreamed last season of scoring in front of sold-out crowds. Dream was all he could do, as a blood clot kept him off the ice and threatened his career.

Eleven months removed from his last game at KeyBank Center, the 22-year-old forward emphatically reintroduced himself to Buffalo with a third-period, game-winning goal in Saturday’s home opener – a 4-3 Sabres victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.

“It was a lot of emotions,” Kulich said postgame. “It was great to be back, to score a goal and just feel it again, feel the crowd again. Yeah, it was kind of like a dream.”

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Kulich had just missed the net on a point-blank 4-on-4 rush opportunity, but Tage Thompson recovered the puck and fed Owen Power at the right circle. Kulich posted up at the back door and slammed his stick on the ice, calling for a second chance, and Power found him for the lead – Buffalo’s first of the night – with 6:40 remaining.

“What a pass by OP,” he said. “There was two sticks there, he just put it right on my stick, and I just had an easy job. Just closed my eyes and somehow put it in.”

Saturday’s game in Buffalo stretched into the early hours of Sunday morning back in Kulich’s native Czechia, but he’s confident his parents were watching their son’s special moment. And his brother, Jaroslav, was in attendance at KeyBank Center – “That's probably the first time I’ve scored in front of him, so hopefully he's happy.”

After starting on the fourth line, Kulich got a mid-game bump to play with Peyton Krebs and Konsta Helenius. Those three were on the ice when Rasmus Dahlin tied it, 3-3, earlier in the third period. They also had coach Lindy Ruff’s trust to defend the 5-on-6 situation in the final minute and close out Buffalo’s first win of the young season.

The Sabres see top-line-center potential in Kulich, even after his year out of the lineup, but he understands he needs to prove himself again this season. Saturday’s final shifts should go a long way for his role and confidence, and teammates can’t say enough good things about him.

“I’m so happy for him,” Ruff said. “He was so frustrated late last year, watching us in the playoffs, not being able to be part of it. … I think he embraces the fact that he’s playing right now; that (blood clot) could have gone any direction.”

“It’s unbelievable,” added Dahlin. “It’s hard to put into words how much he’s been grinding and how much he’s really been around and wanting this. So, I’m just super happy for him just being able to play hockey again.

“And he does it so well.”

Here’s more from the win as Buffalo improved to 1-1-0 in the young season.

Defensive breakdowns

The Sabres trailed 2-0 just 11 minutes into the game because of substandard defensive play. Ryan Donato broke free in the slot and opened the scoring when Buffalo’s defensemen over-pursued Alex Vlasic behind the net. And the net-front area was left open again for Anton Frondell and Tyler Bertuzzi to combine on the second Chicago goal.

Buffalo responded with a cavalcade of chances, and Jack Quinn and Thompson eventually broke through against goalie Spencer Knight to tie the game. But a 2-on-1 rush late in the second period allowed Oliver Moore to restore a one-goal Blackhawks lead.

“We handed them their three goals tonight,” Ruff said. “I thought second period and third period, as the game went on, we got better, but again, big mistakes and then sloppy defensively. We got ourselves in a great place last year, and we’ve got to get back there again.”

Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen earned the win and improved to 7-0-0 in his career versus Chicago. Buffalo’s carrying the play meant some quiet stretches for Luukkonen, who finished with 12 saves on 15 shots.

“There’s not a lot a goaltender can do about those (goals),” Ruff said, again citing the defensive breakdowns.

Quinn’s strong start

Quinn scored a goal in Thursday’s season opener and nearly tied it late in the third period, hitting the post on a power play. He scored again Saturday on a top-corner snipe and again led the Sabres in shot attempts (12).

The 25-year-old winger has never been afraid to shoot, but this has been a different version of Quinn through two games – holding onto pucks, muscling through defenders, passing into better scoring chances, etc.

“It’s pretty fun to watch. He’s just taking steps,” Dahlin said. “You see he’s so dominant, and he creates a crazy amount of chances. Now he’s gonna get comfortable doing that, so he’s just gonna get better. I’m not surprised; I’ve always known he’s got this.”

Per Sabres PR, Quinn became the team’s first forward to score a goal in his first two games of a season since Jack Eichel and Matt Moulson in 2016-17.

Captain on the board

Dahlin, who scored 19 goals last season, reignited the crowd with his first of 2026-27 in Saturday’s third period.

Samuelsson blocked a shot in the defensive zone, the ricochet sending Krebs speeding the other way. Krebs found Dahlin up in the rush and up the middle – as he tends to be – for a quick shot and the tying tally.

Banner in the rafters

KeyBank Center’s rafters now feature a new decoration: the 2025-26 Atlantic Division champions banner.

“It’s pretty cool,” Dahlin said, “but we want a different one up there.”

Postgame sound

Up next

The homestand continues Tuesday at 7 p.m. versus the Minnesota Wild. MSG’s pregame coverage starts at 6:30 p.m., and tickets are still available.