SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Dylan Guenther scored on a rebound with 5:47 to play to put the Utah Hockey Club ahead to stay in a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night.
JJ Peterka scored his 20th goal of the season for the Sabres in his return to the lineup after missing three games with a lower-body injury. His power-play goal came with 11 seconds left in the first period.
Ryan McLeod also scored a short-handed goal for Buffalo and James Reimer had 27 saves. McLeod has seven points (two goals, five assists) in his last seven games, including one point in each of his last five contests. His current five-game point streak is tied for the longest of his career (Oct. 12 to 22, 2024).
Tage Thompson assisted on Peterka’s goal for his 60th point of the season, but also put the puck in Buffalo’s net to give Utah a 4-2 lead with 1:10 remaining. The own goal, credited to Utah’s Kevin Stenlund, came on a delayed penalty with Reimer out of the net for an extra skater.
Beck Malenstyn’s goal 11 seconds into the second period that would have given Buffalo a 2-1 lead was disallowed after a video review for goaltender interference.
Guenther’s team-leading 25th goal of the season gave Utah a 3-2 lead before the team added a pair of empty-netters. Mikhail Sergachev had two goals, including one of the empty-netters, and Logan Cooley also scored a goal. Karel Vejmelka stopped 25 shots.
The Sabres remain in last place in the Eastern Conference but had won three of their previous four before Thursday’s loss.
Prior to the game, the Sabres announced that defenseman Jacob Bryson has agreed to a one-year contract extension worth $900,000. The 27-year-old Bryson skated 14:29 of ice time in his 43rd appearance of the season.
Up next
The Sabres remain on the road at the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.
WIVB digital sports reporter Jonah Bronstein contributed.