Coyotes’ Clayton Keller tallies 1 goal, 3 assists on All-Star Saturday
Feb 3, 2024, 8:29 PM
Clayton Keller #9 of the Arizona Coyotes skates with Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the game between Team Matthews and Team McDavid during the 2024 Honda NHL All-Star Game on February 03, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
(Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller made his presence felt in the NHL’s 3-on-3 All-Star games on Saturday, totaling one goal and three assists in the tournament format in Toronto.
Keller was selected by Scottsdale-raised Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews in the All-Star draft, which broke the roster into four squads of 11 players. Justin Bieber served as celebrity captain for Team Matthews.
The four squads played each other once before the winners of each first game played each other in the final playing two 10-minute halves in each game.
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Matthews and Keller’s squad ended up winning the whole thing, toppling Quinn Hughes’ squad 6-5 in a shootout before skating past Connor McDavid’s team 7-4.
In the first game, Keller teamed up with his team captain for the assists to Matthews’ Maple Leafs teammate Mitchell Marner, who put Team Matthews ahead 3-2 in the second. The two teams traded goals back and forth before Detroit Red Wings right winger Alex DeBrincat sealed it in the shootout for Team Matthews.
In the day’s final, Keller got the game’s scoring started after the assist from Matthews as both were coming downhill.
Kells with the finish 😮💨#Yotes | #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/iYogMyp0qH
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) February 3, 2024
His assist to a Matthews goal later in the first broke a 2-2 tie, and his assist midway through the second — again to Matthews — gave the squad a 5-3 lead, which ended up being enough to clinch the win.
The Keller-Matthews duo is on fire 🔥#Yotes | #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/LL8ennN9cR
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) February 3, 2024
“Being able to team up with a lot of great guys and meeting (Justin) Bieber was pretty cool too, so that’s definitely something that sticks out,” Keller said after the game, reflecting on what he’ll carry with him about the weekend.
Keller and the Coyotes get back on the ice on Thursday when they host the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Catch that action with a 7 p.m. puck drop on the Arizona Sports app or 92.3 FM.
