Kings launch comeback, beat Coyotes in Glendale
The visitors outmuscled the Coyotes in the third period of a 5-3 win
The Kings improved to 26-17-7 with their win at Gila River Arena on Saturday. The Coyotes’ record now stands at 12-33-4.
Saturday night marked the first time the Arizona Coyotes played on home ice in eight days. Their matchup against the Los Angeles Kings was the second game in a seven-game homestand.
After some quiet opening exchanges, the Coyotes opened the scoring following the Kings’ initial dominance. Janis Moser and Loui Eriksson connected with Anton Stralman, and the defenseman caught Kings goaltender Cal Petersen out of position to make it 1-0.
But Los Angeles struck just 12 seconds later. Anze Kopitar and Tobias Bjornfot found Adrian Kempe for his first of his two-goal, three-point night.
The first period ended 1-1, and Barrett Hayton’s encouraging return from hand surgery saw him log 3:25 of ice time and a plus-one.
“Nobody’s path is perfect, no one’s is easy…a lot of guys have had adversity along the way,” Hayton said after the game when asked about his mindset following the injury.
The second period, though, was a turning point in the game. The Coyotes nabbed the lead 7:41 in through Lawson Crouse, with Alex Galchenyuk landing the primary assist (the 200th on his career) and Phil Kessel’s 27th on the season.
Clayton Keller followed up at 12:40 of the second with his 19th goal of the season to extend Arizona’s lead to 3-1. Travis Boyd and Shayne Gostisbehere cracked the scoresheet with assists.
The Kings began their comeback effort late in the period to take momentum into the third. Kempe’s second point came on his primary assist for Drew Doughty, as the veteran blueliner grabbed his sixth goal of the season with just under two minutes left in the frame.
After killing off a penalty, Los Angeles tied the game 6:24 into the final period. Trevor Moore’s eighth goal of the season leveled the score at three, with Victor Arvidsson and Phillip Danualt setting him up. Doughty then got back on the scoresheet with the eventual game-winning goal, unassisted, at 7:12.
The former Norris Trophy winner’s overpowering night concluded with an assist for Kempe on the power play, making the score 5-3. The Coyotes could not convert a late power play opportunity, and Los Angeles ended the game with four unanswered goals and two points.
Next up, the Coyotes will meet the Dallas Stars on Sunday for a 5:00 p.m. puck drop.
