At the Horn | Utah Hockey Club 5 - Sabres 2

The Buffalo Sabres’ winless streak was extended to six games (0-4-2) with Saturday afternoon’s 5-2 loss to the Utah Hockey Club at KeyBank Center.

After grabbing a 1-0 lead, Buffalo could neither weather Utah’s second-period surge nor generate consistent enough offensive pressure to mount a comeback.

Sabres forward Tyson Kozak scored his first NHL goal, assisted by Beck Malenstyn and Dennis Gilbert, who tallied his first point with Buffalo.

In addition to the assist, Malenstyn had a fight and tied Gilbert with a game-high seven hits.

Forward Jiri Kulich added a late goal, his third of the season.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 23 saves on 28 shots, while Utah netminder Karel Vejmelka stopped 23 of 25 shots.

Utah defenseman Michael Kesselring tallied a goal and an assist, and forward Alex Kerfoot picked up two assists. Mikhail Sergachev, Nick Schmaltz, Jack McBain and Kevin Stenlund also scored for Utah.

After an 0-for-3 afternoon, Buffalo’s power play is now 1-for-22 in its last eight games.

First Period

The issue of goaltender interference presented itself even earlier in this game than Thursday’s, only this time the ruling went Buffalo’s way.

Schmaltz appeared to give Utah a 1-0 lead just 3:41 into the game, but Barrett Hayton’s presence in the crease impeded Luukkonen from pushing across and attempting a save. Buffalo won the challenge even though Owen Power, too, was mixed up with Hayton and Luukkonen.

Buffalo opened the scoring at 10:14. A Gilbert breakout pass set up a rush for Malenstyn, who fed Kozak alone in front for a backhand tip-in and NHL goal No. 1. Kozak’s first career goal and Gilbert’s first point with the Sabres would have come Thursday if not for a goalie interference review.

Luukkonen made 10 saves in the period, none bigger than on Schmaltz’s last-minute, short-handed breakaway.

Second Period

Utah flipped the game early in the second period, scoring twice in 22 seconds to take the lead.

First, a failed clearing attempt in the defensive zone led to a Kesselring goal on a wrister from above the circles.

Then, Michael Carcone drove hard to the net and was pushed by Gilbert into Luukkonen’s head. The officials didn't blow a whistle with Buffalo’s goalie down and out of the net, allowing Sergachev to fire a shot in from the point.

The shaken-up Luukkonen received a visit from the training staff but remained in the game.

Malenstyn delivered a big hit on Kesselring nine minutes into the period, prompting their fight later that shift. It was Malenstyn’s fourth career fight and first with Buffalo.

Utah extended its lead to 3-1 at 19:08 in the period. Luukkonen made an initial blocker save on Schmaltz in close, but the rebound popped up and back to the Utah winger for a second-chance goal.

Utah outshot the Sabres 14-5 and outscored them 3-0 in the period.

Third Period

After a 3-on-1 rush for the Sabres didn’t yield a shot attempt, Logan Cooley fed McBain in the slot for Utah’s fourth goal.

Stenlund extended the lead to 5-1 at 12:07, beating Luukkonen on a well-screened shot from the right circle.

Kulich scored Buffalo’s second goal at 17:40, assisted by Jason Zucker and Power, poking a loose rebound through Vejmelka’s five-hole.

GAME PHOTOS

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

POSTGAME SOUND

UP NEXT

The Sabres host Detroit on Monday for their third of four matchups with the Red Wings. Tickets are available here.

Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7 at KeyBank Center.