Coyotes get a point with OT loss; goal-scoring stats trending positive

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Two pucks clanging off the goalpost and a big game by Connor McDavid made the difference Saturday as the Arizona Coyotes lost in overtime to the Edmonton Oilers.

Arizona lost 3-2 in overtime on Saturday, earning just one of two possible points in the standings as they look for their first playoff appearance since 2012. The Oilers, who have been less than stellar this season, got the win behind two goals (one of them the game-winner) and an assist by McDavid.

This, despite the fact that the Coyotes were tied with Edmonton 2-2 when they hit the post twice in quick succession and outshot Edmonton 30-25. Darcy Kuemper made 22 saves.

“We had good looks,” said defenseman Jakob Chychrun, who had six shots on goal. “We had guys that were going and making plays. We just couldn’t capitalize. Then [McDavid and Leon Draisaitl] can take over a game. It’s tough when you think you have momentum and those two guys step on the ice and find a way to get it back sometimes.”

In addition to McDavid’s two goals and an assist, Draisaitl had an assist on a goal by Matt Benning.

“I didn’t think they had a lot of chances,” head coach Rick Tocchet said. “They had a few, but McDavid and Draisaitl, those guys are elite players. They’re dangerous players. I thought the guys did a nice job against them but I mean McDavid, the speed of him, and obviously the one goal at the end — anything can happen 3-on-3.”

One of McDavid’s goals was scored shorthanded, the seventh time the Coyotes have given up a shorthanded goal this year. McDavid was streaking down the ice and flew past Oliver Ekman-Larsson for a breakaway.

Anything @cmcdavid97 seems to do is just out of this world. pic.twitter.com/9knHXtSICT

— NHL (@NHL) March 17, 2019

“We played hard. We’ve had some tough games, travel and stuff,” Tocchet said. “These guys came out and I thought played really well. I thought we did a nice job.”

Both Coyotes goals were scored by Alex Galchenyuk, who now has 17 on the season, leading the team.

The Minnesota Wild won on Saturday, so the Coyotes’ one point in their overtime loss to Edmonton means they now have a two-point cushion to hold onto the second wild card playoff spot.

“I thought the guys gave us juice tonight. We had a couple posts there. So we’re fine. We got a point. We’re OK.”

OFFENSIVE UPTICK

All season long, the Coyotes have been a strong defensive team.

Entering Saturday, the Coyotes’ average of 2.76 goals against per game was the ninth-best mark in the 31-team NHL, and their 85.1 penalty kill percentage was second-best in the league behind only Tampa Bay, who is on pace to win 63 of their 82 games.

But goal-scoring, on the other hand, hasn’t been as successful. Their 2.66 goals per game average is 28th in the league, and their 17.3 percent power play is 20th.

So, two Coyotes goals on Saturday may not sound like a lot, and in fact, 12 NHL teams are averaging more than that many per game. But Galchenyuk had both of those Arizona goals as he became the sixth Coyote in the team’s last 10 games to score multiple goals in a game. He joined Derek Stepan, Brad Richardson, Christian Dvorak, Michael Grabner and Vinnie Hinostroza to do so.

“Sometimes when a guy gets [one] early, it loosens your hands,” Tocchet said. “I know from experience. When you get that goal early in the game, you usually have a good game. You just feel more relaxed. I could tell Alex was relaxed and the other night was Vinnie, and all that stuff. So you just get more relaxed and you start shooting the puck better in practice. It’s a mental thing. Hopefully this kickstarts Alex where he gets hot for us.”

The Coyotes have 11 different players who have scored double-digit goals this season. By comparison, their opponent Saturday in the Edmonton Oilers have five.

For their 39 games prior to the new year this season, the Coyotes averaged 2.56 goals per game as an offense. In 33 games since then, they’ve averaged 2.88, an increase of about 12 percent. In their last 15 games, that figure is 3.00.

“Yeah, timely goals, for sure,” Tocchet said. “We’re playing a fast game. We’re getting contributing from a lot of different guys. And that’s the key. We can’t rely on one guy. We don’t have that type of team, and we’re getting each night somebody doing something special for us.”

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