Mikhail Sergachev scored twice for the Utah Hockey Club in a 5-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday in Salt Lake City.
Dylan Guenther broke a third-period tie for Utah (31-27-11, 73 points) before Kevin Stenlund and Sergachev added insurance goals. Logan Cooley also scored and Karel Vejmelka made 25 saves.
JJ Peterka and Ryan McLeod scored for the Sabres (27-34-6, 60 points), while James Reimer finished with 27 saves.
Cooley gave Utah a 1-0 lead at 17:27 after McLeod’s clearing attempt hit Clayton Keller’s leg and deflected to the front of the net. Nick Schmaltz collected it and dishing to Cooley, who lifted it over Reimer’s arm.
Peterka, back in the Buffalo lineup after missing three games with a lower-body injury, scored on a one-timer from the right circle off a feed from Jason Zucker on the power play to tie it 1-1 with 11 seconds remaining in the first.
Beck Malenstyn appeared to give the Sabres the lead 11 seconds into the second period, but Utah challenged for goaltender interference. The goal was overturned after video review showed Malenstyn’s stick tangled with that of Vejmelka in the crease.
Sergachev put Utah ahead 2-1 at 11:50, firing a snap shot through traffic that beat a screened Reimer blocker side.
McLeod pulled Buffalo even with a short-handed tally at 1:32 of the third period. Utah couldn’t connect on a cross-ice pass in the neutral zone, and McLeod picked up the loose puck for a breakaway, lifting a backhand over Vejmelka’s left arm.
Later in the period, Reimer stopped Michael Carcone’s shot but couldn’t control the rebound and didn’t see it roll to his right, where Guenther quickly put it into the net to make it 3-2 Utah at 14:13.
Kevin Stenlund was credited with an empty-net goal on a delayed penalty against Utah to extend it to 4-2 at 18:50. Thompson missed on a pass attempt in the Utah zone and the puck rolled down the ice into the empty net.
Sergachev another empty-net goal, short-handed, at 19:41 for the 5-2 final.
–Field Level Media
