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Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-04 · by John Wawrow The Associated Press
Jiri Kulich of the Buffalo Sabres scored the game-winning goal in a 4-3 victory against Chicago on Saturday night, nearly a year after he was sidelined by blood clot issues. The goal came with just over six minutes left to play and helped Buffalo overcome an early two-goal deficit in its home opener. Kulich had missed the final 70 games of last season due to medical treatment for the blood clot, which required surgery at the Mayo Clinic. His return is celebrated as a significant milestone both for his career and for the Sabres' developing roster.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On Saturday night, Jiri Kulich scored the game-winning goal with 6:40 left to secure a 4-3 victory for the Buffalo Sabres over the Chicago Blackhawks at KeyBank Center. This was Kulich’s first goal in nearly a year after missing the final 70 games of last season due to blood clot issues, which he had surgery for at the Mayo Clinic in March. The Sabres rallied from a two-goal deficit and are now unbeaten in their past nine meetings with Chicago (10-0-1), having won seven straight. Kulich's return was celebrated by his teammates as he overcame serious health concerns to contribute on the ice again, marking a significant moment for both him and the Sabres' season opener.
Written for “Sabres Beat Blackhawks” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Nearly a year of worries of whether he was ever going to play again joyously washed away as Sabres forward Jiri Kulich punched the air, pounded the glass and let out a big roar before being joined by his teammates.
asserted
Kulich → go → teammates
The celebration took on even larger meaning beyond Kulich scoring the go-ahead goal with 6:40 left to secure a 4-3 win over Chicago in which Buffalo rallied from a two-goal deficit in its home opener on Saturday night.
asserted
Buffalo → take → night
The goal was Kulich’s first in nearly a calendar year after he missed the final 70 games of last season dealing with a blood clot issue.
asserted
he → miss → issue
“Yeah, that was probably the main thing I was dreaming about the whole year, you know, not playing,” Kulich said.
asserted
Kulich → dream → ?
So yeah, that one is going to be special for sure.”
asserted
one → go → ?
Though saying he still has a lot to prove, Kulich continued validating the offseason work he put in to get back in shape after having surgery to remove the blood clot at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in March.
asserted
he → say → March
The 22-year-old 2022 first-round draft pick from the Czech Republic once again began showing the flashes of offensive talent he displayed by scoring 15 goals and 24 points in 62 games as a rookie two years ago.
asserted
he → begin → rookie
That was before Kulich’s career-path was placed into limbo 12 games into last season, when he began experiencing dizzy spells, leading to tests revealing the blood clot.
asserted
he → place → clot
“It’s unbelievable.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
It’s hard to put into words how much he’s been grinding and how much he’s really been around and wanting this,” said captain Rasmus Dahlin, who tied the game at 3 some seven minutes earlier.
asserted
who → ’ → 3
“I’m just super happy for him to be able to play hockey again.
asserted
him → ’m → hockey
The goal came at the end of a long shift and after Kulich had the puck roll off his stick while driving to the net.
asserted
puck → come → net
Tage Thompson collected the loose puck and fed Owen Power in the high right circle.
asserted
Thompson → collect → circle
Power then threaded a pass through two defenders in front to set up Kulich to score from the lower left circle.
asserted
Power → thread → circle
“I was pretty pissed after the first one, but (Thompson) did a great job,” Kulich said.
asserted
Kulich → do → job
I just had an easy job, just closed my eyes and somehow put it in.”
The Sabres stuck by Kulich all offseason long by including him as part of the team’s developing young core.
asserted
Sabres → have → core
He opened the game against Chicago centering Buffalo’s fourth line, and then moved up to the third line and finished with 13-1/2 minutes of playing time.
asserted
He → open → time
Coach Lindy Ruff placed so much trust in Kulich, he had him on the ice during the final minute after Chicago pulled its goalie for an extra attacker in a bid to tie the game.
asserted
Chicago → place → game
Kulich had difficulty finding the right words to express what he was feeling.
asserted
he → have → what
Though he scored in a preseason game last month, the goal against Chicago was his first in the regular season since scoring in a 5-3 win over Toronto on Oct. 24 — a week before being sidelined.
asserted
goal → score → Oct.
“It was great to be back, to score a goal and just feel it again, feel the crowd again,” Kulich said, noting his older brother Jaroslav was in the stands, while believing his parents were watching back home. “ I was waiting for this moment.
asserted
I → score → moment
It’s a great feeling.”
asserted
It → ’ → ?
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