Rasmus Dahlin returned to the Buffalo Sabres lineup after a personal leave and contributed to a comeback win against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday at Little Caesars Arena. The Sabres overcame a 4-1 deficit late in the second period, with Dahlin assisting on Josh Doan’s goal that began their rally.
Buffalo continued their push in the third period, scoring twice: Tage Thompson delivered a notable goal and Ryan McLeod scored shorthanded on a breakaway. The game ended in overtime when Thompson set up Mattias Samuelsson for the winning goal just over a minute into the extra frame.
Alex Tuch also scored for Buffalo. Goaltender Colten Ellis made 24 saves, earning his second NHL win—both against Detroit—and recorded his first NHL point with an assist on Thompson’s goal.
Dahlin played 25 minutes and 38 seconds and had two assists in his return. He had been away from the team to support his fiancée during her recovery from an emergency heart transplant earlier this year.
The victory ended Buffalo’s five-game winless streak and marked their first road win of the season after previously going 0-5-2 away from KeyBank Center. Despite Dahlin’s return, the team remained without five key forwards due to injuries and lost defenseman Michael Kesselring to a lower-body injury during the game.
The Sabres will next play at home against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. The event will be Native American Heritage Night, which will feature special programming and entertainment honoring Indigenous communities in Western New York. The night will also see the debut of artwork from the Community Artist Series in partnership with AKG Buffalo Art Gallery. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m., with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m.
