Michael Kesselring scores as Utah beats the Buffalo Sabres 5-2

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) Michael Kesselring had a goal and an assist to help Utah beat the sliding Buffalo Sabres 5-2 on Saturday.

Nick Schmaltz, Jack McBain, and Kevin Stenlund also scored for Utah. Karel Vejmelka made 23 saves.

Kesselring and Mikhail Sergachev scored 24 seconds apart in the second period, lifting Utah to a 2-1 lead. It was Kesselring's fourth of the season and No. 7 on the year for Sergachev.

Rookie Tyson Kozak scored his first NHL goal and Jiri Kulich also scored for the Sabres who are winless in six straight games (0-4-2). Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 23 saves.

Buffalo’s six-game winless streak is its longest since it lost eight straight games in November 2022.

Sabres: A day after general manager Kevyn Adams spoke about how the lack of palm trees and higher taxes in New York made it difficult to convince players to join the Sabres, fans chanted for his firing and booed the team as Utah piled on two more goals in the third period.

Utah: For the first time this season, Utah won a game when trailing after the first period (1-4-0). It marked the first time in eight games that it allowed a goal in the first period and the first time Vejmelka allowed a first-period goal on the road.

Sergachev’s go-ahead goal in the second came when Luukkonen was taken out of the play after Sabres defenseman Dennis Gilbert pushed Utah forward Michael Carcone into him and left Sergachev an open net to shoot into.

Utah’s two goals 24 seconds apart in the second marked the third time this season it has scored twice within 25 seconds. It also accomplished the feat on Oct. 8 against Chicago and Nov. 13 against Carolina.

The Sabres continue a five-game homestand on Monday against Detroit. Utah takes on the Flyers in Philadelphia on Sunday.

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