Somewhere Russ Tyler and his band of brothers from Los Angeles are smiling after reading Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin describe the 86th goal of his NHL career.
Dahlin caught Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko off guard with a one-time slap shot that appeared to dip and weave as it moved toward the net.
"That was a knuckle puck," Dahlin told reporters after Thursday night's 3-2 Sabres win.
Dahls after dark! 😎#LetsGoBuffalo | #sabrehood pic.twitter.com/5P3SRUGS21
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) December 12, 2025
Tyler, a character portrayed by comedy legend Kenan Thompson in the 1994 film D2: The Mighty Ducks, is credited with popularizing (perhaps even inventing?) the knuckle puck. It's still frequently referenced over three decades later.
Funny enough, Dahlin wasn't even alive yet when the movie was released. The Swedish superstar was born in April 2000.
Demko, who was playing his first game in a month because of injury, wasn't nearly as amused.
"Not super happy with that," Demko said. "Felt a little late on it, maybe a little slow. Maybe just trying to acclimate back to game speed."
Dahlin also tallied an assist in the Buffalo triumph, which brought him up to 25 points (three goals and 22 helpers) in 28 appearances this season.
Rasmus Dahlin is starting to find top form at a critical moment for the Buffalo Sabres
Dahlin got off to a sluggish start to the 2025-26 campaign, especially by his elite standards, and it was completely understandable. The Sabres captain announced in September his fiancée, Carolina, underwent a heart transplant after a medical incident in France over the summer.
Carolina remained in the couple's native Sweden to continue her recovery, and Dahlin took a leave in absence in early November to spend time with her during follow-up appointments.
The 2018 first overall pick returned to the Buffalo lineup on Nov. 15 and his numbers have bounced back to their typical All-Star level. He's recorded two goals and 14 assists over the past 14 games, a stretch during which the Blue and Gold have compiled an 8-6-0 record.
That's far closer to the type of production everyone expected from Dahlin, who entered the season as a prime Norris Trophy candidate.
It couldn't have come at a better time for the Sabres, whose quest to end the franchise's 14-year playoff drought is already on thin ice. They sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with 30 points (13-14-4 record) despite back-to-back wins over the Canucks and Edmonton Oilers.
Dahlin starting to drive play at his usual high-end rate combined with improved play from fellow superstar Tage Thompson has helped lead the modest surge, but Buffalo needs more.
Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams, whose future leading the front office came into question after the team lost the first three contests on its current six-game road trip, should be actively working the NHL trade market in search of more offensive firepower.
Buffalo is going to need a sustained run of winning hockey to climb the East standings, and the roster's endless injury setbacks are creating an additional hurdle.
That said, Dahlin playing at his current level gives the Sabres a foundation they were sorely missing earlier in the season.