Coyotes power play struggles as the Wild hand Arizona its 7th straight loss
Feb 14, 2024, 11:35 PM
Ryan Hartman #38 of the Minnesota Wild skates for a loose puck against Travis Dermott #33 and goaltender Karel Vejmelka #70 of the Arizona Coyotes during the third period at Mullett Arena on February 14, 2024 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Zac BonDurant/Getty Images)
(Photo by Zac BonDurant/Getty Images)
TEMPE, Ariz. — Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy each had a goal and an assist, Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 25 shots and the Minnesota Wild beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-1 on Wednesday night.
Jonas Brodin also scored for the Wild, who have won four in a row and seven of nine. Fleury got his 554th career win.
Coyotes forward Logan Cooley broke up Fleury’s bid for his 75th career shutout when he cut the deficit to 2-1 at 5:21 of the third period with a shot from the left circle through the five hole. Arizona has lost seven straight.
The Coyotes have totaled 16 goals during their losing streak.
Connor Ingram started in goal and had 28 saves through two periods before he was replaced by Karel Vejmelka, who had 12 saves in the third.
Boldy restored Minnesota’s two-goal lead with just under 9 minutes remaining when he brought the puck in from the right side and beat Vejmelka, who got a piece of Boldy’s wrist shot but could not keep it from trickling in.
The Wild killed all three Coyotes’ power play opportunities.
Arizona had the best early chance, but Fleury moved out of his net to stop Nick Bjugstad’s breakaway eight minutes into the game. Bjugstad had his second career hat trick in the Coyotes’ 6-0 victory at Minnesota on Jan. 13.
Eriksson Ek gave the Wild a 1-0 lead when he scored on a power play with 5:59 left in the first.
Coyotes defenseman J.J. Moser was penalized for high sticking on a play that sent the Wild’s Marcus Johansson into the boards near the bench area. Johansson was down on the ice for several moments before skating off.
Boldy set up the goal when he took a pass from behind the net and skated along the red line before threading a nifty backhand pass to Eriksson Ek in front for a quick wrist shot.
The Coyotes appeared to tie it with 3:38 remaining in the second period on Nick Schmaltz’s shot from the slot, but the goal was disallowed after a video review when Barrett Hayton was called for goalie interference by bumping Fleury.
Brodin put a wrist shot past Ingram to give the Wild a 2-0 lead with 20.9 seconds remaining in the second, a few moments after Fleury made a shoulder save on a wrist shot by Lawson Crouse.
Up next
Coyotes: Host Carolina on Friday night.
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