Coyotes allow 2 short-handed goals in high-scoring loss to Blues

TEMPE (AP) — Nick Leddy and Alexey Toropchenko had short-handed goals 33 seconds apart, Kevin Hayes broke a tie early in the third period and the St. Louis Blues outlasted the Arizona Coyotes 6-5 on Wednesday night.

After the teams split the first two meetings of the season, defense was optional in the desert for the third.

The teams combined for 10 goals in 22 minutes spanning the first and second periods. It was the third NHL game in 30 years to have five tying goals in the first 35 minutes and 23 players had at least a point.

“You score five goals it should be an easy win,” Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. “That’s not the first time and that’s really disappointing.”

St. Louis chased goalie Karel Vejmelka with four goals before the midpoint of the second period. The Coyotes chased Jordan Binnington not long after that with their fifth.

Two shorthanded goals, on the same penalty kill, 33 seconds apart. How often do you ever seen that? #stlblues pic.twitter.com/ghtaxbnwlY

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) November 23, 2023

Brayden Schenn, Colton Parayko and Robert Thomas also scored for the Blues.

Arizona’s Lawson Crouse scored his ninth goal in 11 games this month. Michael Carcone had a goal and an assist.

Nick Bjugstad, Jason Zucker and Nick Schmaltz also scored for the Coyotes. Mattias Maccelli had two assists for points in his eighth straight home game to start the season, matching Igor Korolev’s team record set in 1995-96.

Both teams missed the net on some good early chances. A flurry of goals followed.

Schenn scored on a breakaway midway through the first period. Bjugstad tied it less than two minutes later and Parayko put the Blues up 2-1 less than two minutes after that.

Zucker tied it late in the period, getting enough of Carcone’s crossing pass to trickle the puck over the goal line.

The goals kept coming.

Crouse needed 22 seconds of the second period to put the Coyotes up 3-2.

Leddy tied with his short-handed goal after a slick deke and Toropchenko chased Vejmelka with his shorty on a shot from the left circle.

Then it was Arizona’s turn.

Carcone scored on a wrister that was initially rule no goal — video replay showed it went in — and Schmaltz chased Binnington 1:01 later with another wrister.

Thomas tied it again midway through the period on rebound and Hayes put the Blues up 6-5 on a breakaway early in the third.

“We’re giving up too many grade-A chances,” Bjugstad said. “It’s not anything on the goalies. When they (the opponent) are getting chances, those seem to be good opportunities.”

Somehow, no one scored over the final 15:47, capping a bizarre night in the desert.

The Coyotes are next at Vegas on Saturday night.

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