Game Recap
It was a tight game, but the Arizona Coyotes ended their three-game homestand with a winning record. The Coyotes beat the Seattle Kraken 4-3 in the shoot-out, building momentum before their five-game road trip.
Things did not look good for the Desert Dogs to start the game. Eeli Tolvanen started the scoring just 40 seconds in when he Yanni Gourde got in on a 2-on-0 and easily outmaneuvered Connor Ingram to give the Kraken an early lead.
The Coyotes responded shortly after, with Matias Maccelli getting his second of the season with a rocket of a goal.
Nick Bjugstad and Travis Dermott assisted on the goal, which saw Maccelli’s shot go post and in through a screen to tie it up.
The Coyotes started to build momentum after that, which led to an increase in Kraken penalties. Gourde was called late in the first for slashing Logan Cooley and again as the period expired for hooking Clayton Keller. Keller would sit for embellishment, starting the period 4-on-4.
The second period would prove to be the most penalty-filled of the game. The 4-on-4 expired with neither team scoring, but it didn’t take long for another penalty to be called. Barrett Hayton drew a hooking call and scored his first of the season on the resulting power play, tipping in Clayton Keller’s shot to give the Coyotes their first of the game.
Keller was initially credited for the goal, but during the intermission, he said that Hayton redirected the shot, and it should be his goal. After failing to get on the point sheet to start the season, it was great to see Hayton get the monkey off his back and register his first of the year.
But there was still a game to play, and the Kraken were not about to go down easy. They tied it up with Justin Schultz getting his second of the season less than a minute later.
The third period was an inverse of the second. Seattle scored first on a power play; this time, it was Troy Stecher in the box for tripping and Jaden Schwartz lighting the lamp. It seemed like Matty Beniers was tired of being outshined by Maccelli because he notched his second assist of the night on the goal after assisting on Schultz’s goal.
But, just like the Kraken did the prior period, the Coyotes tied it up less than a minute later. This time, it was Keller on the power play assisted by Nick Schmaltz and Sean Durzi.
Keller leads the team with five goals after that one, and it was an impressive night for the forward. Like Barrett Hayton, Keller drew the penalty and was the one to score on the power play.
Neither team scored for the rest of regulation or in the resulting overtime, leaving it up to the shootout. Both goaltenders stood tall, making some big stops, but Nick Bjugstad lit the lamp, and the Coyotes walked away the winners.
In the grand scheme, it’s not a great idea to let a team in your conference get a point, especially if you may be competing with them for a Wild Card spot. But the Coyotes desperately needed a win after falling to the Jets and will hopefully have some momentum going into their five-game road trip. That will see them face off against five Central Division teams, and anything that helps them with that is appreciated.
Shoot out
Nick Schmaltz – Save
Oliver Bjorkstrand – Save
Nick Bjugstad – Goal
Matty Beniers – Save
Clayton Keller – Save
Jordan Eberle – Save
Lines
Three Stars
- Clayton Keller – Goal and an assist
- Barrett Hayton – Goal
- Matias Maccelli – Goal
Next Game
The Coyotes will next play the St. Louis Blues this Thursday at 6:00 p.m. in St. Louis.