BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — 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.
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. 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.
“Yeah, that was probably the main thing I was dreaming about the whole year, you know, not playing,” Kulich said. “After that one, it was a lot of emotions. So yeah, that one is going to be special for sure.”
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. 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.
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.
“It’s unbelievable. 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. “I’m just super happy for him to be able to play hockey again.”
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. Tage Thompson collected the loose puck and fed Owen Power in the high right circle. Power then threaded a pass through two defenders in front to set up Kulich to score from the lower left circle.
“I was pretty pissed after the first one, but (Thompson) did a great job,” Kulich said. “What a pass by (Power). ... 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. 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.
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.
Kulich had difficulty finding the right words to express what he was feeling. 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.
“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. It’s a great feeling."
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Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich (20) celebrates after his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1) and center Jiri Kulich (20) celebrate victory following the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Austin Wells got the New York Yankees' first hit of the AL Division Series with two outs in the eighth inning of Saturday night's opener, then ran through a stop sign and was thrown by a large margin trying to stretch a double into a triple.
“I was trying to make something happen," the relatively slow-footed catcher said after a 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Drew Rasmussen retired 15 consecutive batters before Wells pulled an inside sinker into the right-field corner on his 101 pitch.
Yankees third base coach Luis Rojas held up both arms before Wells rounded second. Wells kept on going and was thrown out by about 15 feet on shortstop Taylor Walls’ relay to third baseman Junior Caminero of right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. ’s throw.
“Just obviously not a good decision there,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Not sure if he saw something on his way between first and second that, you know, caused him to go there. But, obviously, you know, a mistake there.”
If Wells had held at second, Boone would have sent up Giancarlo Stanton to pinch hit for Ryan McMahon, forcing Rays manager Kevin Cash to decide whether to bring in closer Bryan Baker.
“After I was passing second base I saw his hands up. Was already committed,” Wells said.
Tampa Bay's defense executed perfectly.
“It takes one bobble there and I’m safe or a little off-line target there and I'm safe," Wells said. “They made two big throws right on the money and got me.”
Wells ranked 481st in sprint speed this season at 26.0 feet per second among 567 batters with 10 or more opportunities, according to MLB Statcast.
“In the moment I was being aggressive. Like I said, we didn’t really have much going on there in the game, so every 90 feet matters,” Wells said. “You have to take risks but in that situation, obviously, the risk was wrong."
Baker pitched a perfect ninth, finishing the one-hitter in the opener of the best-of-five series. The Yankees lost a 1-0 postseason game for the first time since Hall of Famer Don Drysdale's three-hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1963 World Series.
Gerrit Cole allowed five hits over five innings in his first postseason start since Tommy John surgery in March 2025. The 36-year-old right-hander, winner of the 2023 AL Cy Young Award, gave up Jonathan Aranda’s solo homer in the third inning on a changeup.
“Down and away,” Cole said. “It got to the edge, but it didn’t get down enough. It’s a pretty, pretty steep price to pay but he crushed it. So yeah, that’s just the way it goes.”
Stanton's plate appearance when he batted for McMahon against Baker leading off the ninth was his first since April 24 after he recovered from multiple calf injuries. In his first postseason pinch-hitting appearance, Stanton struck out on a foul tip of a 96.3 mph fastball.
Left-hander Ryan Weathers made his first appearance since Aug. 22, recovered from a left forearm flexor strain.
In his first relief appearance since 2023, Weathers entered in the sixth and retired Liam Hicks, Chandler Simpson and Victor Mesa Jr. on groundouts to first base. He needed just nine pitches.
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New York Yankees' Austin Wells watches his double go down the right field line before being thrown out at third when he tried to stretch his hit into a triple during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of an American League Division Series baseball game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
New York Yankees' Austin Wells watches his double go down the right field line before being thrown out at third when he tried to stretch his hit into a triple during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of an American League Division Series baseball game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, left, tags out New York Yankees' Austin Wells as Wells tries to stretch his double into a triple during the eighth inning of Game 1 of an American League Division Series baseball game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
