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

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Utah Hockey Club center Nick Schmaltz (8) controls the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

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Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (4) is pressured by Utah Hockey Club left wing Michael Carcone (53) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

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Utah Hockey Club left wing Matias Maccelli (63) skates the puck past Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (72) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

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Utah Hockey Club left wing Michael Carcone (53) is stopped by Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

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Utah Hockey Club defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (98) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

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Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1) talks with trainer after a collision in front of the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Utah Hockey Club, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

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Utah Hockey Club center Nick Bjugstad (17) and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Dennis Gilbert (8) battle for position during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

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Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens (24) collides with Utah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

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Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) and Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller (9) battle for the puck behind the net during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

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Utah Hockey Club defenseman Michael Kesselring (7) celebrates his goal with center Barrett Hayton (27) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

By JOE YERDON

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.

Takeaways

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.

Key moment

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.

Key stat

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.

Up next

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

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