Coyotes can’t complete comeback in shootout loss to Kings
Feb 18, 2023, 11:35 PM
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kevin Fiala had two goals and an assist and the Los Angeles Kings held on to beat the Arizona Coyotes 6-5 in a shootout Saturday night.
Anze Kopitar, Blake Lizotte and Matt Roy each had a goal and an assist during a five-goal outburst in the first period, but the Kings had to recover after squandering a four-goal lead to win their fourth straight game.
Jonathan Quick made 27 saves, getting his 369th career victory to tie Tom Barrasso for third-most by American goaltenders.
Clayton Keller had two goals for Arizona, and Josh Brown, Travis Boyd and Christian Fischer also scored. The Coyotes picked up at least a point for the eighth straight game.
Karel Vejmelka was replaced late in the first after allowing five goals on 14 shots. Connor Ingram made 23 saves in relief.
Gabe Vilardi and Adrian Kempe scored in the shootout, and Quick saved Nick Schmaltz’s attempt. Nick Bjugstad put his try wide of the net and off the boards with a chance to extend it to the third round.
The Kings have scored at least five goals in four consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 1-8, 1992, and it didn’t take long for their offensive firepower to shine yet again.
Los Angeles had five goals in 7:48 span in the first period. Fiala bookended the spree with his 20th and 21st goals. He opened the scoring on a power play and made it 5-1 with 4:12 remaining in the period.
But the Coyotes fought back, starting when Keller scored during a 5-on-3 power play late in the second period. He made it 5-3 37 seconds into the third.
Boyd scored two seconds after an Arizona power play expired at 7:06, and Fischer tied it at 5 44 seconds later.
WORTH NOTING
Kempe had an assist, giving him eight goals and two assists during a five-game points streak. … The Kings hadn’t scored five goals in the first period since Nov. 13, 2005, in an 8-2 victory over Columbus.
UP NEXT
Coyotes: Host Columbus on Saturday night.
Kings: At Minnesota on Tuesday night.
