
Sabres wrap: Jiri Kulich's game-winning goal shows why he's a 'special' talent
Jiri Kulich scored the go-ahead goal with 2:04 in the third period and the Buffalo Sabres held on for a 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in KeyBank Center.

Buffalo Sabres players Tage Thompson (72) and Rasmus Dahlin (26) congratulate Jiri Kulich (20)on his goal against
the Nashville Predators during the first period at the KeyBank Center on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
Jiri Kulich was nervous.
Not only were his parents in Buffalo for the first time, but the 20-year-old center had the puck at the red line late in the third period Friday night with an opportunity to complete a hat trick.
"I'm always so stressed when I've got the empty net at the red line," Kulich said, shaking his head following the Sabres' 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators. "I (wish) I could go right to the net and put it there."

Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich (20) celebrates his goal against the Nashville Predators during the third period at the KeyBank Center on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News)
Kulich made it look that easy only a few minutes earlier in the third period when he snapped a short-side shot from the left circle to beat Predators goalie Justus Annunen for the go-ahead goal with 2:04 remaining.
It wasn't the only impressive play Kulich's parents witnessed. Their son also scored the Sabres second goal of the game with an exceptional snap shot from the right circle. Predators defenseman Luke Schenn was closing in on Kulich, forcing the 2022 first-round draft pick to adjust and shoot quickly.
"He's unbelievable," said Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin, whose two assists moved him into second all-time among defensemen in franchise history. "I think he's going to be one of the best in the league. At that age, he is right now doing the stuff that he's doing out there. It's pretty special. It's fun to watch, honestly."
Kulich's nine goals since Dec. 1 lead all NHL rookies, one ahead of 2024 No. 1 draft pick Macklin Celebrini. Kulich has 11 goals and 16 points in 37 games, and his line with Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka outscored the Predators, 2-0, at 5-on-5. The Sabres have a plus-9 goal differential in those situations this season when the line has been on the ice, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Bowen Byram blocked a shot in the final moments of regulation to secure the victory. The Sabres improved to 20-26-5 overall and 11-11-3 on home ice in Buffalo. They are 9-7-1 since their winless streak ended Dec. 23.
"We’ve got to continue to build on this," said Dahlin. "We’re playing good now. Puck control. It wasn’t pretty for 60, but we found a way and that’s what it takes in this league."
Ryan McLeod and Jason Zucker also scored one goal apiece to back Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who made 28 saves to secure his 17th win this season.
McLeod and Kulich scored in a span of 6:16 during the first period to give Buffalo a 2-0 lead. The Predators roared back with two goals in 6:10 to tie it, 2-2. Luke Evangelista tipped the puck past Luukkonen and Brady Skjei's shot from the point ricocheted over the goalie's head for Nashville's second goal.
The Predators pulled ahead, 3-2, on a tip by Tommy Novak during an ugly second period for the Sabres, and Nashville had multiple opportunities to add to its before Zucker scored the tying goal with 7:34 to play in the middle frame.
Buffalo killed Kulich's four-minute double-minor high-sticking penalty early in the third period and allowed only six shots on goal at 5-on-5 the rest of the game. The Predators are 18-25-7 overall and 6-16-4 on the road.
First period
• McLeod gave the Sabres a 1-0 lead only 2:25 into the game when a shot deflected off him and past goalie Justus Annunen. Jack Quinn took the initial shot and the puck went off Rasmus Dahlin before it reached McLeod.• Sabres forward Peyton Krebs drew a holding penalty in the offensive zone, sending Buffalo to the power play with 14:07 left in the first period.
• Kulich received a stretch pass from Dahlin and skated in the right circle, where Kulich snapped the puck over Annunen's shoulder for a 2-0 lead 8:41 into the game. Dahlin had the primary assist on the McLeod and Kulich goals. With the pair of assists, Dahlin passed Mike Ramsey for second among defensemen in Sabres history.
Quinn and Owen Power also had assists in the first period for Buffalo.
• The Predators cut the Sabres' lead to 2-1 when Evangelista tipped Barron's shot over Luukkonen's left shoulder with 9:06 left in the first period.
• Annunen had trouble handling Alex Tuch's tip near the crease with under six minutes to play in the first period but made the save to keep Nashville's deficit at 2-1.
• Zucker's roughing penalty gave the Predators a power play with 5:05 remaining in the first period. Steven Stamko's one-timer from the left circle sailed over Luukkonen's head, then the Sabres goalie made a save on Ryan O'Reilly's one-timer from the slot.
• Predators defenseman Brady Skjei tied it 2-2 with a shot from the point that went off Tuch, causing the puck to ricochet over Luukkonen's head with 2:54 left in the first period.
• Sabres winger Jack Quinn cut across the slot and challenged Annunen with a low shot late in the first period.
• The Sabres were outshot 10-9 in the first period and had three fewer shot attempts than the Predators.

Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens (24) skates up ice with the puck against the
Nashville Predators during the first period at the KeyBank Center on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
Second period
• Novak gave the Predators a 3-2 lead by tipping Skjei's shot past Luukkonen only 2:51 into the second period.• The trouble didn't stop there for Buffalo, either. Power's turnover in the neutral zone allowed the Predators to easy access to the offensive zone. O'Reilly spun around and sent a backhand pass to the right circle, where Gustav Nyquist was ready to take a quick, low shot. Luukkonen slid to his left and sprawled to make the save.
• Predators fourth-line winger Colton missed the net during a partial breakaway, then Evangelista deflected the puck wide as the Sabres continued to scramble to escape their defensive zone.
• Zucker bailed out the Sabres when the 32-year-old winger redirected the puck from the slot to tie it 3-3 with 7:34 left in the second period. Tuch earned his 20th assist of the season with the pass to the slot to set up Zucker for his 17th goal as a Sabre.
• Dahlin cross-checked O'Reilly behind the Sabres' net at 15:16 into the second period to put the Predators on the power play. They had only one shot on goal during the man advantage, as Bowen Byram blocked one of Nashville's attempts and Dylan Cozens won an important defensive-zone faceoff.
• The Sabres were 2-7-3 when tied at the second intermission this season. They were outshot 13-7 in the period and, according to Natural Stat Trick, the Predators at six high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5.
Third period
• Kulich was called for a double-minor high-sticking penalty only 15 seconds into the third period. He accidentally hit Cole Smith in the face as a group of players went for the puck along the right wall in Buffalo's offensive zone.• The Predators' power play ended with Zach Benson drawing an interference penalty. The second-year winger was hit by Skjei during a race for the puck with 16:24 left in the third period.
• Annunen was deep enough in his crease to stop Zucker's one-timer from the right circle. Dahlin created the scoring chance with a pass across the slot.
• Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson cut across the slot and challenged Annunen with a wrist shot 6:45 into the third period.
• Luukkonen extended his right leg to prevent Evangelista from stickhandling around him with under 12 minutes remaining in the third period.
• Power carried the puck on the right wing and crashed Annunen after forcing the Predators goalie to stop a backhand shot with 9:20 left in the third period.
• Annunen used his left arm to stop Peyton Krebs' shot from the high slot, keeping the score tied 2-2 with eight minutes to go.
• McLeod circled the Predators net and passed to Power, whose shot from the slot missed the net with 2:37 remaining.
• Kulich collected a cross-ice pass from Thompson and scored with a short-side shot to give the Sabres a 4-3 lead.
Notable performance
Dahlin and his defense partner, Byram, blocked a total of eight shots while surpassing 25 minutes of ice time. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff commended Byram for his improvement in the defensive zone and understanding that he needed to become more difficult to play against."When your top pair has a game like that, you should win hockey games," said Ruff.
Postgame
Dahlin on Sabres icon Rob Ray, who was inducted into the team's hall of fame during a pregame ceremony: "You heard so many good things about him. He’s the stereotype of a Buffalonian, a Buffalo Sabre. I have so much respect for him. You need a guy like that in your life, so I’m happy to chat with him every day. Unbelievable human.”Lineup
Ruff did not make any changes to his lineup for their first game against Nashville this season.
JJ Peterka - Jiri Kulich - Tage Thompson
Jason Zucker - Dylan Cozens - Alex Tuch
Peyton Krebs - Ryan McLeod - Jack Quinn
Beck Malenstyn - Tyson Kozak - Zach Benson
Rasmus Dahlin - Bowen Byram
Mattias Samuelsson - Owen Power
Jacob Bryson - Henri Jokiharju
Injury update
Winger Jordan Greenway re-joined the Sabres for their optional morning skate Friday, but he's not expected to be ready to return to the lineup until after the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
Greenway played through a middle-body injury in November, sat 10 games to try to avoid surgery, returned to play four games, then finally had a procedure in December when there was concern that it may lead to other issues. The pending unrestricted free agent totaled three goals with seven points while averaging 15:55 of ice time across 20 games prior to his extended stay on injured reserve.
"My initial response is probably not, but you never know how a guy can progress," Ruff said when asked if Greenway may be ready to return before the break. "I was out there for a while with him (Thursday), and then him skating today ... the easy skating part, the shooting part, the non-competitive part, looks good. Just got to get that hard compete and see how his body reacts to it."
Defenseman Connor Clifton (illness) was unavailable for a second consecutive game, while defenseman Dennis Gilbert and forward Sam Lafferty were healthy scratches against Nashville.