Scott Wedgewood’s 31 saves not enough as Coyotes fall to Islanders

Jan 21, 2022, 9:11 PM | Updated: 9:28 pm

The puck passes behind Arizona Coyotes goaltender Scott Wedgewood (31) during the second period of the team's NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

(AP Photo/Corey Sipkin)

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK (AP) — Ilya Sorokin stopped 17 shots for his fourth shutout of the season, Brock Nelson scored twice and the New York Islanders beat the Arizona Coyotes 4-0 Friday night.

Scott Mayfield had a goal and an assist, and Austin Czarnik also scored to help the Islanders get their third straight win and seventh in their last nine (7-1-1).

Sorokin got his sixth win in his last eight starts and has only allowed 15 goals over that stretch. The 26-year-old goaltender is 11-7-5 in his second NHL season.

“I don’t think we played a bad game after two periods, but it was really tough to create offense against them,” Coyotes head coach Andre Tourigny said.

Scott Wedgewood finished with 31 saves but the Coyotes snapped a two-game winning streak in the second of a four-game trip. Arizona failed to score in both meetings against New York this season, losing 3-0 at home on Oct. 23.

Mayfield opened the scoring with 6:09 left in the first on a slap shot from the point in which Lee screened Wedgewood. Mathew Barzal got a loose puck off an offensive zone faceoff and danced around Nick Schmaltz before getting the puck back to Adam Pelech who eventually set up Mayfield.

The Islanders doubled their lead 2:58 later as Mayfield sent a cross-ice pass to Czarnik for an easy tap-in near the back post. Islanders captain Anders Lee also picked up an assist on the play.

New York improved to 12-4-4 when scoring the first goal and outshot the lifeless Coyotes, 35-17.

Nelson sealed the victory when he scored his 12th and 13th goals of the season in the third. First, he gathered a bouncing puck and fired a wrist shot past Wedgewood at 1:22.

Then, midway through the period, Nelson crashed the net and finished a pass from Anthony Beauvillier. The play was reviewed, but the original call of a good goal stood.

“I thought we had a good start to the first period, but then we kind of gave them their offense and they capitalized on it,” Coyotes D Dysin Mayo said.

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The Coyotes play the New York Rangers on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.

Arizona Coyotes head coach André Tourigny looks on during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller (9) skates upice during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Janis Moser (62) skates in front of the goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) looks on during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

New York Islanders coach Barry Trotz, top, looks on during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Scott Wedgewood (31) blocks a shot during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

New York Islanders left wing Matt Martin (17) fights with Arizona Coyotes center Liam O'Brien during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

Arizona Coyotes right wing Christian Fischer (36) skates around New York Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

Arizona Coyotes center Travis Boyd (72) and New York Islanders defenseman Andy Greene (4) fight for a puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

Arizona Coyotes center Liam O'Brien (38) skates with the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27) pressures Arizona Coyotes goaltender Scott Wedgewood (31) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Janis Moser (62) skates around the goal during the second period of the team's NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

New York Islanders right wing Josh Bailey (12) shoots wide of the goal in front of Arizona Coyotes defenseman Anton Stralman (86) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) and Arizona Coyotes defenseman Dysin Mayo (61) chase the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

Arizona Coyotes center Alex Galchenyuk (17) skates in front of New York Islanders left wing Zach Parise (11) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) looks on during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech (3) skates in front of Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller (9) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal (13) skates with the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

Arizona Coyotes center Travis Boyd (72) skates behind the goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

New York Islanders left wing Anthony Beauvillier (18) celebrates a goal by center Brock Nelson during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

New York Islanders left wing Zach Parise (11) pressures Arizona Coyotes goaltender Scott Wedgewood, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

The New York Islanders congratulate goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) after they won an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

New York Islanders center Brock Nelson (29) reacts after scoring during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin).

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