Dylan Guenther puts Utah ahead to stay in 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres

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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.

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.

JJ Peterka scored a goal 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.

Buffalo: The Sabres are in last place in the Eastern Conference but had won three of their previous four before Thursday's loss.

Utah: The Utah Hockey Club earned a critical two points in its quest for a playoff spot. The team is in 11th place in the Western Conference with 73 points, four points behind eighth-place St. Louis, which beat Vancouver 4-3 in overtime on Thursday night.

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.

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).

On Saturday, the Sabres remain on the road at the Minnesota Wild while Utah plays host to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl