The Coyotes played a real solid brand of hockey from start to finish defeating the Canadiens 3-2 while getting contributions from their big time players.
After an emotional loss on Wednesday night, the Arizona Coyotes responded in a huge way defeating the Montreal Canadiens 3-2.
The Coyotes lost 4-3 to the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday in what was a brutally physical game.
To make matters worse, the Coyotes were forced to play a back-to-back facing off against a red-hot Canadiens team that were on a three game winning streak leading into this game.
There wasn’t much scoring to start the game but Nick Schmaltz drew his first penalty shot of his career with 6:17 left in the period. All his shootout practice paid off as he just got the puck past goaltender Jake Allen to put the Coyotes up 1-0.
Prior to Wednesday’s game, Lawson Crouse had zero goals but all of a sudden he is the hottest goal scorer on the team. He had two goals against the Ducks and wasted no time to get another in the second period off a beautiful pass from Matias Maccelli to put the Coyotes up 2-1.
While some may consider it to be an odd pairing of three players, Crouse, Maccelli and Nick Bjugstad have really found their groove on a line together and are clicking on all cylinders especially with this new and improved version of Crouse that we just didn’t see to start the year.
Despite the Coyotes strong play, Montreal kept finding a way to climb back and the score read 2-2 in the third period.
That would all change when on the power play, Logan Cooley drove the puck in and as he always does, found an open man in Schmaltz who buried the puck in the net for his second of the game and fourth goal of the season.
Cooley’s playmaking continues to benefit the Coyotes especially on the power play where he is surrounded by very capable scorers.
The most impressive thing for the Coyotes tonight was the way they battled and never took their foot off the gas pedal. They didn’t let last night’s defeat derail them and instead built off that performance.
Arizona really dominated the Canadiens down the stretch when it mattered most playing a fast yet strong defensive game of hockey.
The Coyotes first line of Keller, Schmaltz and Barrett Hayton were really buzzing all night long, generating chance after chance while maintaining strong puck possession essentially playing keep away.
This is a win that the Coyotes need to remember and take concepts from as they get ready to play the Winnipeg Jets Saturday afternoon at Mullett Arena.