Coyotes now 1 point out of playoff spot after shootout win in Edmonton
Feb 19, 2019, 10:13 PM | Updated: 10:29 pm
Arizona Coyotes' Kevin Connauton (44) and Jordan Oesterle (82) protect the net from Edmonton Oilers' Tobias Rieder (22) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
(Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
The Arizona Coyotes have bounced back yet again.
On a season of runs, the Coyotes have followed up five straight losses with a run in February of four wins in their last six. That includes a 3-2 shootout win in Edmonton Tuesday night.
With that win, the Coyotes are even on games with the Minnesota Wild and only trail them by one point for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
Darcy Kuemper had 35 saves for Arizona, continuing to hold off onslaughts in shots for the opposition. His team had the edge in shots through two periods, but the Coyotes were outshot 27-10 in the third period and overtime.
After a scoreless first period, the Coyotes got out in front thanks to forward Josh Archibald being in the right place at the right time for his eighth goal of the season.
Stop us if you've heard this recently: Josh Archibald right place, right time.
He knows what to do with this juicy rebound: Give the #Yotes the lead. pic.twitter.com/E6AKQr6t4k— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) February 20, 2019
The 26-year-old has added some much-needed goal scoring to the Coyotes forward group and continues to show a knack for opportunistic chances on goal. Through 46 games, Archibald has eight goals while last season he had only five in 42 appearances.
RELATED STORIES
We had three goals in the third period, including Adam Larsson’s for Edmonton that tied the game early in the third period.
Vinnie Hinostroza continues to make plays for Arizona and he had two of the biggest on Tuesday night.
One came midway through the third when he danced through two defenders and got a shot on goal.
From there, a puck out of the corner wound up on Niklas Hjalmarsson’s stick and the veteran’s outstanding first-time pass found Hinostroza for his 10th goal of the campaign.
Vinnie was not going to be denied. #Yotes lead again. pic.twitter.com/BNfeP5Ei99
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) February 20, 2019
That’s the point in the game where Kuemper stood on his head for a bit, but the wall inevitably broke through Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ equalizer with less than 12 seconds remaining.
The netminder held off the barrage in overtime and allowed Hinostroza another chance to change the game.
The crafty winger had some moves saved up for the moment, keeping the puck moving and faking a forehand look before swapping to his backhand and scoring the winner.
Vinnie wins for the #Yotes in the shootout! What a move! pic.twitter.com/yRwkogSfbM
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) February 20, 2019
While the Coyotes are only one point out of catching Minnesota, so are the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks.
That makes the team’s end of a three-game trip through Canada on Thursday against the Canucks that much more important. That’s an 8 p.m. puck drop you can hear on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.
Comments