Game Recap
A day after the Arizona Coyotes fell to the Anaheim Ducks in overtime, they returned to Mullett Arena to host the Montréal Canadiens. They walked away with both points last night, winning 3-2 in regulation.
Arizona did not have the best first period despite scoring first. Nick Schmaltz got the Desert Dogs on the board early on with a penalty shot after Justin Barron was called for covering the puck in the crease.
That was the highlight for a rough start for the Coyotes. Sean Monahan tied it up less than a minute later, and it briefly looked like Nick Suzuki gave the Canadiens the lead before his goal was ruled offside.
That goal woke the Coyotes, who came out much better for the second period. The Coyotes would get rewarded in the final seconds of the game when Matias Maccelli found a wide-open Lawson Crouse seconds after a power play ended, who made it 2-1 with a slapshot.
The third period would start with a bang, with Clayton Keller getting an early penalty for roughing against Mike Matheson. Brendan Gallagher tied it up on the resulting power play with his third of the season with just over 17 minutes left in the final frame.
It didn’t take long for the Coyotes to respond, and they got their chance on a power play not long after. Arber Xhekaj was in the box for cross-checking when Logan Cooley got enough room to make a pass to a streaking Schmaltz, who netted his second of the night and fourth of the season.
The Coyotes did a good job protecting their lead as the minutes ticked away. They had one more penalty when Maccelli was called for tripping, but otherwise, they were the more disciplined team, as the Canadiens were called twice in the final ten minutes of the game.
The Coyotes may not have extended their lead on either of their power plays, but they did a good job keeping the Canadiens from building any real momentum. The seconds ticked away, and the Coyotes walked away with two points.
Last night was about as good as you could expect from a team that had played the night before and had to travel. It wasn’t a flawless victory, but it was well-earned and the kind of win you need early in a season.
Lines
Three Stars
- Nick Schmaltz – Two goals
- Brendan Gallagher – Goal and an assist
- Lawson Crouse – Goal
Next Game
The Coyotes will be back in action on Saturday for a matinee matchup against the Winnipeg Jets.