BUF 4–3 CHI

Final · W

Sabres/Schedule/Recap Sat, Oct 3, 2026 · 2026-27 regular season

Buffalo Sabres

BUF · 1-1-0

4–3

FinalW

Chicago Blackhawks

CHI · 0-3-0

1ST2ND3RDT BUF 1131827428 CHI 251406315 goals · shots on goal

First meeting this season — the Sabres lead the season series 1–0 ·Next: Tue, Oct 6 vs MIN

BUF 1-1-0 · CHI 0-3-0 · First meeting this season — the Sabres lead the season series 1–0 · Next: Tue vs MIN

Sabres beat the Blackhawks

Down 0–2 in the 1st period, the Sabres erased the deficit with four unanswered goals — Dahlin's equalizer — and won 4–3. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed 1.0 more goals than expected from the shots he faced.

▶ Recap ↗ ▶ Condensed game ↗

Video opens on NHL.com.

★ NHL first starJiri Kulich

BUF · C · #20 1 G · 0 A · 1 P

Who had the better chances

The Sabres created the better chances: 5.4 expected goals to 2.1, on 28 and 15 shots on goal.

BUF 5.4 xG · 28 shots CHI 2.1 xG · 15 shots

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

1st · the swing 2.6 · 0.8

2nd 0.9 · 0.7

3rd 1.9 · 0.7

Tap a numbered goal to see how it happened.

Deserve to winReplay this game 100 times with average goalies and the Sabres win 88.

BUF 88%CHI 12%

Goals and penalties

7 goals · 5 penalties

← Sabres shoot this way Blackhawks shoot this way →

On net Missed Bigger = better chance 1Goal, numbered to the list

1st period

1

07:59

Ryan Donato

Alex Vlasic, Nick Lardis · wrist shot, a good chance (21%)

0–1 ▶ Watch ↗

2

11:24

Tyler Bertuzzi

Anton Frondell, Teuvo Teravainen · wrist shot, a low-percentage shot (9%) that found a way in

0–2 ▶ Watch ↗

3

16:24

Jack Quinn

Zach Metsa · wrist shot, a low-percentage shot (4%) that found a way in

1–2 ▶ Watch ↗

2nd period

4

05:41

Tage Thompson

Louis Crevier, Josh Norris · tip in shot, a good chance (10%)

2–2 ▶ Watch ↗

PEN

11:39

Josh Doan· Hooking

Killed

2 min
Minor

PEN

16:05

Oliver Moore· Interference

Killed

2 min
Minor

5

18:18

Oliver Moore

Anton Frondell, Alex Vlasic · wrist shot, a low-percentage shot (9%) that found a way in

2–3 ▶ Watch ↗

3rd period

PEN

00:53

Patrick Kane· High-sticking

Killed

2 min
Minor

6

06:10

Rasmus Dahlin

Peyton Krebs, Mattias Samuelsson · snap shot, a great chance (39%)

3–3 ▶ Watch ↗

PEN

11:51

Cole Smith· Tripping

Killed

2 min
Minor

PEN

11:58

Zach Benson· Tripping

Killed

2 min
Minor

7

13:20

Jiri Kulich GWG

Owen Power, Tage Thompson · snap shot, a great chance (30%)

4–3 ▶ Watch ↗

NHL three stars

the league's pick

Jiri Kulich

BUF · C · #20 1 G · 0 A · 1 P1G 0A ★ 2nd star

BUF · RW · #22 1 G · 0 A · 1 P1G 0A ★ 3rd star

Rasmus Dahlin

BUF · D · #26 1 G · 0 A · 1 P1G 0A

Goaltending

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

BUF

−1.0

vs expected

12/15 saves · 3 GA · 2.0 xGA Allowed 1.0 more goals than expected from the shots he faced.

Spencer Knight

CHI

−0.5

vs expected

24/28 saves · 4 GA · 3.5 xGA Gave up about what the shots he faced would predict.

Team BUFCHI

Shots on goal

28

15

Expected goals

5.4

2.1

Hits

29

18

Blocks

8

11

Faceoffs

51%

49%

Power play

0/3

0/2

Penalty minutes

4

6

The Sabres went 0-for-3 on the power play and killed all 2 Blackhawks power plays.

Box score

xG and GSAx are Inside the Game numbers

Forwards	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
72Tage ThompsonT. ThompsonC	1	1	2	+2	0	4	2	1	19:41	25	56%	0	3	1	0.6
6Zach BensonZ. BensonLW	0	0	0	+1	2	1	3	0	19:33	26	33%	0	3	0	0.2
22Jack QuinnJ. QuinnRW	1	0	1	+1	0	5	1	1	19:07	24	—	0	2	0	0.7
91Josh DoanJ. DoanRW	0	0	0	+1	2	1	2	2	18:06	25	—	0	0	0	0.1
86Noah OstlundN. OstlundC	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	17:23	23	27%	0	1	0	0.4
9Josh NorrisJ. NorrisC	0	1	1	0	0	1	2	0	16:32	24	33%	0	0	0	0.4
94Konsta HeleniusK. HeleniusC	0	0	0	−2	0	3	2	0	14:39	20	—	0	4	0	0.7
19Peyton KrebsP. KrebsC	0	1	1	−1	0	1	0	0	13:42	18	—	0	1	0	0.2
20Jiri KulichJ. KulichC	1	0	1	+2	0	1	1	0	13:31	19	78%	0	0	0	0.7
71Ryan McLeodR. McLeodC	0	0	0	−3	0	1	0	0	12:02	16	60%	0	0	0	0.2
29Beck MalenstynB. MalenstynLW	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	08:31	15	—	0	0	1	0.0
10Sam CarrickS. CarrickC	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	07:20	13	75%	0	0	0	0.0

Defense	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
26Rasmus DahlinR. DahlinD	1	0	1	+1	0	3	4	0	25:23	26	—	0	1	0	0.8
25Owen PowerO. PowerD	0	1	1	−2	0	1	1	1	25:12	31	—	0	0	0	0.1
23Mattias SamuelssonM. SamuelssonD	0	1	1	0	0	1	2	2	24:11	26	—	0	2	1	0.1
46Louis CrevierL. CrevierD	0	1	1	+2	0	1	1	0	17:08	23	—	0	4	0	0.0
8Olen ZellwegerO. ZellwegerD	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	15:31	21	—	0	1	0	0.2
73Zach MetsaZ. MetsaD	0	1	1	+2	0	0	0	1	08:28	13	—	0	0	0	0.0

Goalies	Saves	SA	GA	Sv%	EV	PP	SH	TOI	GS	GSAx
1Ukko-Pekka LuukkonenU. LuukkonenG	12	15	3	.800	11/14	0/0	1/1	60:00	✓	−1.0

Forwards	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
91Frank NazarF. NazarC	0	0	0	−2	0	2	0	1	19:58	26	38%	0	3	1	0.2
88Patrick KaneP. KaneRW	0	0	0	−2	2	0	0	0	19:01	22	—	0	0	0	0.5
80Roman KantserovR. KantserovRW	0	0	0	−1	0	0	2	0	18:48	22	62%	0	2	0	0.0
59Tyler BertuzziT. BertuzziLW	1	0	1	+1	0	1	2	0	16:18	19	—	0	4	0	0.1
16Anton FrondellA. FrondellC	0	2	2	+2	0	1	1	0	16:06	23	38%	0	1	1	0.1
12Jordan GreenwayJ. GreenwayLW	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	15:55	21	—	0	2	0	0.4
20Ryan GreeneR. GreeneC	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	15:36	21	57%	0	0	0	0.2
22Cole SmithC. SmithRW	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	0	15:09	22	—	0	0	1	0.0
86Teuvo TeravainenT. TeravainenC	0	1	1	+2	0	1	0	1	14:22	22	—	0	0	0	0.0
11Oliver MooreO. MooreC	1	0	1	0	2	1	1	0	09:30	15	80%	0	0	0	0.1
8Ryan DonatoR. DonatoC	1	0	1	−1	0	1	1	0	09:25	16	—	0	0	0	0.2
76Nick LardisN. LardisLW	0	1	1	−1	0	1	2	0	07:41	13	—	0	0	0	0.1

Defense	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
55Artyom LevshunovA. LevshunovD	0	0	0	−1	0	2	0	2	24:40	24	—	0	1	0	0.0
44Wyatt KaiserW. KaiserD	0	0	0	−2	0	0	2	2	22:58	28	—	0	2	0	0.2
72Alex VlasicA. VlasicD	0	2	2	+3	0	0	1	0	22:33	28	—	0	2	0	0.0
28Ian ColeI. ColeD	0	0	0	+2	0	1	1	2	20:37	27	—	0	0	1	0.0
38Ethan Del MastroE. Del MastroD	0	0	0	−2	0	0	2	2	15:01	18	—	0	0	0	0.1
14Kevin KorchinskiK. KorchinskiD	0	0	0	−2	0	2	0	0	11:21	17	—	0	1	0	0.0

Goalies	Saves	SA	GA	Sv%	EV	PP	SH	TOI	GS	GSAx
30Spencer KnightS. KnightG	24	28	4	.857	23/27	1/1	0/0	59:01	✓	−0.5

EV / PP / SH = saves on shots at even strength, on the opponent's power play, and shorthanded. GS = started. A dash means the stat isn't on file for that player or game. Showing the short set. Tap "All columns" to scroll through every stat inside this card.

Last night's Cap Challenge

3 squads played

RO

PointsRyan Otto

4 pts · $33.0M

RO

HitsRyan Otto

13 hits · $25.2M

RO

GoaliesRyan Otto

51 saves · $7.5M

Tage Thompson was on 1 squad. Build tonight's squad → See the leaderboards →