The Buffalo Sabres bounced back in a big way on Friday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. After a deflating 6-2 loss to the Calgary Flames, they put together a dominant 9-3 win over the Blackhawks on Friday night.
In games like these, it is always a collective team effort to have a statement win like this. However, there were a few standout performances from that game, including the return of one player.
Jason Zucker with three points in his first game back for the Buffalo Sabres
Jason Zucker was playing in his first game since November 1st after dealing with an illness and made almost an immediate impact. While Josh Doan would score the opening goal, it was Jason Zucker's goal later in the first period that really helped the Sabres take control and build a two-goal lead that the Blackhawks were never able to cut into.
Zucker finished the game with three points as he would also add two assists, with one on the Ryan McLeod goal early in the second and then Jack Quinn's goal in the third period.
After the game, Thompson was asked about Jason Zucker and Brian Koziol tweeted his response:
Thompson says Zucker being back is great, he's an awesome guy to have in the room, he's got experience, good calming presence in the room and backs it up on the ice and makes an impact right away. #Sabres
— Brian Koziol (@BrianWGR) November 22, 2025
Jason Zucker is one of those players who might not be mentioned among the top players, but is such an important piece to the team's success. It isn't all that surprising that the Sabres went 2-5-1 during his absence, and as soon as he is back, they start winning.
Zach Benson looks very close to returning for the Buffalo Sabres
Jason Zucker wasn't the only potential return the Buffalo Sabres could have had Friday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. Prior to the game on Friday, head coach Lindy Ruff said that Zach Benson was 'a realistic possibility' for the game, but ultimately decided to hold off.
Benson has been out a little longer than Zucker, with his last game being on October 30th and thankfully, the Sabres didn't need him against the Chicago Blackhawks. However, a return against the Carolina Hurricanes would be a huge boost for this team.
While he has only played in eight games this season, he has made a huge impact and has had eight assists already this season. The team's performance is also undeniable when he is playing, as the Sabres were 4-1-3 in games that he has played.
Alex Tuch secures his 400th career assist on Friday night
While there were plenty of memorable moments for the team on Friday night, including two goals in eight seconds, Alex Tuch reached a personal milestone in the game as he surpassed 400 career assists. He finished the game leading the team in points after registering four assists in the game.
Tuch has been one of the more discussed players this season on the Sabres, more so because of his contract negotiations, or lack thereof, with the team. He is currently playing in his final season, and it doesn't seem like a new deal is coming any time soon.
On the ice, his performance has been up and down so far, but he showed that when he is at his best, he is clearly a difference maker for this team. The Sabres need more of these performances if they hope to dig themselves out of the bottom of the Eastern Conference.