The Buffalo Sabres (27-34-6) have struggled this season en route to the worst record in the Eastern Conference. But the Sabres may have hit a new low in Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Utah Hockey Club at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Buffalo somehow scored a goal on its own empty net just as it was about to benefit from a high stick penalty.

Trailing 3-2 with under two minutes remaining in the third period, the Sabres, buoyed by a 5-on-4 advantage after pulling goaltender James Reimer, fired off two shots on goal. Then, in some good fortune, Utah Hockey Club center Kevin Stunland was whistled for a delayed high-stick penalty on Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram, meaning a 6-on-4 advantage was on the way.

Then disaster struck.

The Sabres, instead of letting the Utah Hockey Club simply touch the puck to result in a play stoppage and the ensuing face-off before the power play, attempted to score. Sabres center Tage Thompson attempted a pass to defenseman Rasmus Dahlin but the puck crossed the blue line and traveled out of the zone. In a move straight off of a billiards table, the puck ricocheted off the boards and went into the Sabres' net for an own goal as Dahlin helplessly skated behind it.

The own goal all but spelled doom for the Sabres, whose fate was officially sealed when Utah Hockey Club defenseman Mikhail Sergachev scored another empty net goal with 19 seconds left.

After the game, Thompson told Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News that he didn't realize there was a delayed penalty.

"Just trying to pass to the point there to 'Dahls,' [Dahlin]" he said. "I didn't know it was a delayed penalty, or I would have just given it to them. And obviously, a tough bounce. It was kind of a scramble play. (If I knew it was a delayed penalty), I probably would have just tried to attack and shoot or make them touch it. I had a lane to 'Dahls' to the top, and it just went through everybody.

"So bad play by me and even worse result."

It's not the first time the Sabres have scored an own goal this season, but Thursday's turn of events might just take the cake in terms of bizarre and embarrassing moments.

Buffalo has won just three of its last 10 games played.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Sabres Found Most Bizarre Way to Score Goal on Own Net in Loss vs. Utah Hockey Club.