San Jose >> The San Jose Sharks wanted to meet the moment in their game against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

After Joe Thornton’s No. 19 was raised to the rafters in a pregame ceremony, they felt they had no choice.

But the Sharks, after two fairly strong periods, couldn’t protect a one-goal lead in the third in a 4-2 loss to the Sabres at SAP Center.

Leading 2-1, the Sharks allowed an even-strength goal to Dylan Cozens at the 2:07 mark, and an unassisted shorthanded goal to Alex Tuch just 3:20 later, as the Sharks went on to lose for the sixth time in seven games.

Rasmus Dahlin added an empty net goal with less than a second left to seal the win for the Sabres.

Tuch’s shorthanded goal was part of an overall frustrating night on special teams for the Sharks, who went 0-for-5 on the power play.