Game Recap
The Arizona Coyotes 2023-24 season started with a bang with a 4-3 shootout win over the New Jersey Devils. It was far from a perfect game, but the Yotes found a way to start the season with two points thanks to a solid start and a third-period comeback.
It didn’t take long for the Coyotes to get things going. New addition Matt Dumba would start things off for the Coyotes six and a half minutes into the game, picking up a drop pass from Clayton Keller in what will hopefully be the first of many goals in a Coyotes jersey.
The Coyotes would follow their first goal with their first power play. It wasn’t great and led to a brief New Jersey push after a successful kill, but the Coyotes managed to recover and finished the opening frame with a 1-0 lead.
And briefly looked like the good times would keep rolling into the second period. Sean Durzi got his first as a Coyote at 4:23 after firing a bullet from just below the below line, and the Coyotes took a 2-0 lead.
It was on the Coyotes’ second power play of the evening, which was much better than their first, and it saw Keller get his second assist of the night and rookie Logan Cooley get his first NHL point.
It was also the second Coyotes’ goal from a defenseman, both of whom were new additions to the team. It is hopefully a good sign for the Coyotes moving forward, who revamped their blue line.
Unfortunately, things quickly went downhill from there. The Devils are a good team, and they were not about to let the Coyotes walk away with an easy win.
Jesper Bratt got the Devils going with his first of the season just over eight minutes into the period. John Marino and Logan Colley were both in the box for interference and embellishment respectively, and the Devils showed for the first time why you shouldn’t give them extra ice.
New Jersey would score two more goals in the second period, with Dougie Hamilton tying it up and Bratt giving the Devils the lead.
The Devils scored both on the power play, with Hamilton’s being a 4-on-3 and Bratt’s second being on a 5-on-3.
After a penalty-filled second half of the period, the Coyotes got a chance to reset going into the third period. They needed a big third period to stay out of the box.
Arizona had two power plays in the final frame, one just under six minutes in and one under twelve. New Jersey killed the first, but they couldn’t kill the second, with Schmaltz tying tying the game 3-3.
This time it was Logan Cooley setting up the play. He had made plenty of great plays throughout the game, but he drew two New Jersey players to give Nick Schmaltz enough room to tie things up.
Neither team scored in the final six minutes or overtime. The Coyotes got a late OT power play, but neither team converted, and the Yotes headed to the shootout for the first time in the 2023-24 season.
Karel Vejmelka had played a full game of tremendous hockey, and that did not stop in the shootout. Vejmelka stopped both Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt, and the Coyotes won with goals from Nick Bjugstad and Nick Schmaltz.
It was a good night for the Coyotes who walk away with two points against a much better opponent. It was a good night for new additions and longtime Coyotes and a great start to the season.
Shootout Results
New Jersey: Timo Meier – Save
Arizona: Nick Bjugstad – Goal
New Jersey: Jesper Bratt – Save
Arizona: Nick Schmaltz – Goal
Lineup
Three Stars
1. Nick Schmaltz – Goal and an assist
2. Jack Hughes – Three assists
3. Logan Cooley – Two assists
Next Game
The Coyotes’ road trip continues as they face off against the New York Rangers on Monday at 4 p.m. Arizona time.