Sabres ‘keep the foot on the gas’ in 9-3 thumping of Blackhawks

Mattias Samuelsson felt the Buffalo Sabres didn’t get the full-team effort they needed in Wednesday’s loss to the Calgary Flames.

Friday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks was an entirely different story, as 14 Sabres skaters got on the scoresheet in a 9-3 win at KeyBank Center. The nine-goal outburst ties Colorado for the most by any team in a game this season.

“We weren’t happy with our game (versus Calgary), it’s pretty obvious,” Tage Thompson said. “I thought we had a great response. We just outworked them, honestly. They’re coming in off a back to back; we made it a tough game for them all night. I thought we won puck battles, strong on pucks, and we got to the net.

“Great effort all around, and that’s what it takes: it takes everyone pulling the rope the same way.”

The Sabres set the tone early, reversing a recent trend by playing arguably their best first period this season. They outshot the Blackhawks 14-6 and jumped out to a 3-1 lead with goals from Josh Doan, Jason Zucker and Bowen Byram in a four-minute span.

Those three, plus three later ones, saw Buffalo’s goal scorer completely uncovered in front of goaltender Arvid Soderblom. Chicago, which had blown a two-goal lead in Thursday’s third period and lost to Seattle, had few answers, defensively.

“They’re in a spot last night where they lost a close one, and I think when you get an early one or two on them in a situation like this, it’s hard as a group (for them) to stay positive,” Doan said. “At the other end of it, we were a team that was a little bit frustrated with how we performed. I think you just catch the tail ends of both of those things, and sometimes stuff like that adds up.”

“You could tell that they were a step behind,” added coach Lindy Ruff, “and a good team can sense that and keep the foot on the gas. And we did it the right way; we did it with everybody on board.”

That ‘foot on the gas’ mindset squashed any hopes of a comeback, as the Sabres quickly responded to Chicago's goals – 7:30, 2:46 and 1:32 later, respectively – with one of their own.

Buffalo outscored the Blackhawks 3-1 in each period while rolling four lines and three defensive pairs all night with great effect. Only two skaters, top-pair partners Rasmus Dahlin and Samuelsson, exceeded 20 minutes of ice time, and all but four guys recorded a point.

“(A) focal point for us was to make sure we didn’t change our game once we got the lead, and I think you saw a full 60 for the first time in a while out of us,” Doan said.

The key now, the Sabres insist, is to put this one behind them and focus solely on the next challenge: Sunday’s matinee versus Carolina. Momentum from Monday’s 5-1 win over Edmonton didn’t carry over to the Calgary game, reminding Buffalo that it can’t expect anything to come easily.

Having won three of their last four, the Sabres hope to turn a strong week into the start of a great run. Still in last place in the Eastern Conference, they need to.

“Game was great, it was a good win, but now it’s all about getting this team back to .500, winning a game against probably one of the toughest teams to play against," Ruff said.

Here’s more from the blowout win.

First line shines

Thompson and Alex Tuch, who’ve long displayed chemistry on Buffalo’s top line, recently added Doan on their left wing – with great results. The trio combined for eight points against the Blackhawks while controlling puck possession and scoring-chance numbers by a wide margin.

Tuch played one of his best all-around games of the season and notched four assists, matching his point total from the previous eight games combined.

“I felt like more myself; I felt like I had some good jump,” he said. “My work with the puck was a little bit better. I think I was holding onto it and hanging onto pucks and ragging it a little bit, which I think helps my game and I think creates a lot of space for my linemates, too. I get one or two guys on me and being able to protect the puck."

Tuch’s fourth assist (see below) illustrates his point perfectly, as he patiently waited for Thompson to get open before feeding No. 72 for his 11th of the season.

Zucker returns

Despite being bedridden with illness for 10 days and missing eight games, Zucker didn’t appear to skip a beat in his return to the lineup. He skated 14:37 with the goal, two assists and a pair of hits, fitting in seamlessly on a line with Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn.

“He’s got some experience and a good, calming presence in the locker room, and then obviously he backs it up with his play on the ice,” Thompson said. “So, definitely missed him, and I think everyone’s excited that he’s back, and obviously makes an impact right away.”

UPL in net

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made his first start in more than two weeks, improving to 2-2-1 this season with a 20-save performance.

His biggest stop came at a crucial point. Chicago had just narrowed its second-period deficit to 5-2, and 13-goal scorer Connor Bedard raced in on a breakaway. Luukkonen extended his left pad to rob Bedard, and less than two minutes later, Doan scored to restore the four-goal advantage.

“That was a big moment in the game,” Ruff said.

Points all around

Some notable numbers from Buffalo’s biggest goal output since December 2023:

• Thompson has a goal in five straight games, matching a career high from March 30 to April 8, 2025.
• Samuelsson set a career high with his fifth goal. Only four NHL defensemen have more this season.
• Doan is up to seven goals, already tying a career high for the third-year winger.
• Quinn scored his fourth goal of the season and first since Oct. 22, snapping a 13-game drought.
• Jacob Bryson scored his first goal since March 9, 2024. He also tallied an assist for his first multi-point game since March 27 of that year.
• Nine Sabres skaters recorded multiple points, led by Tuch (0+4) and Zucker (1+2).

Up next

The homestand wraps up Sunday afternoon versus the Carolina Hurricanes. Tickets are available here.

Puck drop is scheduled for 1 p.m., with MSG’s pregame coverage beginning at 12:30. Be one of the first 10,000 fans at KeyBank Center to claim a Sabres-themed butter dish.