Kulich has goal, 2 assists for Sabres in comeback win against Canucks

VANCOUVER -- Jiri Kulich had a goal and two assists for the Buffalo Sabres in a 3-2 comeback win against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Tuesday.

JJ Peterka had a goal and assist in the third period, and Rasmus Dahlin had two assists for the Sabres (18-24-5), who were coming off a 6-4 loss at the Seattle Kraken on Monday and won for the second time in five games.

“Just the commitment to battle, to win battles, to work for each other, I think it was just way better than [Sunday],” Peterka said.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen returned after missing the game in Seattle with an undisclosed injury to make 32 saves for Buffalo.

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff was critical of his team after the loss on Sunday and put them through a spirited morning skate on Tuesday.

“I think it was one of those situations we didn't really deserve a day off,” said forward Tage Thompson, who also scored for the Sabres, “So, it was good to get the work boots on early and kind of get the mind right for tonight.”

Thatcher Demko made 23 saves for the Canucks (20-16-10), who were trying to win consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 29 and Dec. 1.

Vancouver is 7-9-7 since then.

“I don't think there's any finite answer, any tangible thing that you can kind of pinpoint,” Demko said of the inconsistency. “It just comes down to us in the room and I think that's the best way I can put it. We’ve got to man up a little bit, and certainly myself included. I don't think I've been good enough this year so far. So, I’ve got to keep working to find that level that I know I can get to. And I'll be the first guy working on my game day in and day out. So, I’ll focus on myself and focus on my game and I think if everyone does that, then we'll be okay.”

Kulich, playing his second game after missing four with a lower-body injury, tied it 2-2 at 8:42 of the third period from the top of the crease, shoveling a shot under Demko’s blocker after a pass from Peterka below the goal line.

“Every time when those two guys have the puck, I'm just trying to find a spot because I know they feed me a lot,” Kulich said.

Peterka then put the Sabres ahead 3-2 at 13:33 with a one-timer from the left hash mark off a centering a pass from Dahlin after Kulich won an offensive-zone face-off and went to the net to screen Demko.

It was the first goal in 13 games for Peterka, who moved up to the top line with Kulich and Thompson because Jason Zucker missed the game with illness.

“We need him," Ruff said. “He did a lot of good things in the game. The shot off the face-off, [Kulich] screen, getting in Demko's eyes, but I thought JJ, that line as a whole, was generating. JJ’s speed was evident. His shot selection was really good.”

Thompson put the Sabres ahead 1-0 at 17:34 of the first period. He collected the puck after Kulich won an offensive-zone face-off on the left side and skated across the high slot before shooting back the other way from the top of the right circle and beating a partially screened Demko.

“Great in the dot all night,” Thompson said of Kulich, who was 9-for-20 on face-offs. “Ran some good plays today. I think that's something we've been struggling at a lot this season is face-offs, and tonight was a big night, and we get to play offense when we win draws.”

Phillip Di Giuseppe tied it 1-1 at 3:05 of the second period, tapping in his first goal of the season into an open net after Carson Soucy’s shot came back off the end boards.

Elias Pettersson put the Canucks ahead 2-1 at 10:29, scoring his first goal in six games on a wrist shot from the left hash mark. The Canucks sustained pressure in the offensive zone and after a flurry of chances, Quinn Hughes circled behind the net to pick up a loose puck before passing across the slot to Pettersson.

“When we work and when we play with speed and find each other, we created a lot of scoring chances,” Pettersson said.

Vancouver has lost seven times this season when leading after the second period, but this was the first they lost in regulation.

“We haven't been good enough closing games out,” Demko said. “Obviously we’ve got to hammer those details down, and in a hurry here.”

NOTES: Tyson Kozak, called up from Rochester of the American Hockey League on Tuesday, played 16:06 in Peterka’s spot on the second line with Zucker out. … Vancouver goalie Arturs Silovs was called up from Abbotsford of the AHL to back up Demko with Kevin Lankinen unavailable due to an illness.