The Blackhawks vs Sabres score ended 4-3 in Buffalo’s favor Saturday night at KeyBank Center, as the Sabres rallied from a 2-0 first-period deficit. Jiri Kulich scored the winner at 13:20 of the third period.
Buffalo is 1-1-0. Chicago fell to 0-3-0.
How the Blackhawks vs Sabres score swung Buffalo’s way
Chicago looked sharp early. Ryan Donato scored at 7:59 of the first period, assisted by Alex Vlasic and Nick Lardis. Tyler Bertuzzi made it 2-0 at 11:24, with Anton Frondell and Teuvo Teravainen on the assists.
Jack Quinn got the Sabres on the board at 16:24, assisted by Zach Metsa. Tage Thompson tied it at 5:41 of the second with a tip-in, set up by Louis Crevier and Josh Norris.
Oliver Moore put Chicago back in front at 18:18 of the second, assisted by Frondell and Vlasic. The lead did not last long into the third. Rasmus Dahlin tied it at 6:10, with Peyton Krebs and Mattias Samuelsson assisting. Kulich then scored the go-ahead goal, set up by Owen Power and Thompson.
All seven goals came at even strength. Buffalo scored four of the final five.
Thompson, Kulich and Luukkonen
Thompson finished with a goal and an assist. Kulich, Quinn and Dahlin were named the game’s three stars, each with a goal. Vlasic had two assists for Chicago.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 12 of 15 shots for Buffalo. Spencer Knight made 24 saves on 28 shots for Chicago.
Buffalo outshot Chicago 28-15 and outhit the Blackhawks 29-18. Neither team scored on the power play. The Sabres went 0-for-3, and the Blackhawks were 0-for-2.
What’s next for Buffalo and Chicago
Chicago has lost its first three games, including a 6-0 defeat at Utah on Oct. 1. The Blackhawks host St. Louis on Tuesday. Buffalo lost 6-3 at Columbus in its Oct. 1 opener, a game covered in our Blue Jackets-Sabres recap.
The Sabres host Utah on Oct. 10. For more on this game, see our Blackhawks vs. Sabres preview.
