Schmaltz gets 2 goals and 5 assists, Coyotes beat Ottawa 8-5
Mar 5, 2022, 2:11 AM | Updated: 4:54 pm
Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz (8) celebrates his goal against the Ottawa Senators with Coyotes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (14) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Nick Schmaltz scored twice and had five assists for a franchise-record seven points as the Arizona Coyotes recovered from a five-goal Ottawa rally to beat the Senators 8-5 Saturday.
Schmaltz helped set up four straight goals in the third period after the Coyotes fell behind. Clayton Keller scored twice, including a goal that made it 5-all, and Lawson Crouse put Arizona ahead with a power-play tally.
“It was one of those nights where everything was kind of coming my way,” Schmaltz said. “It was pretty special, but obviously it doesn’t happen very often. Just enjoy it and get back to work.
“Some nights you have a little extra jump, and the puck kind of finds you more than most nights. Very fortunate to get those chances.”
Playing his second NHL game, Arizona rookie Matias Maccelli scored his first career goal to give Arizona a 4-0 lead midway through the second period. Parker Kelly then scored twice as the Senators got five goals in little over six minutes to go ahead 5-4 early in the third period.
The Coyotes, who beat NHL points leader Colorado on Friday, have won two in a row, three of four and four of six in their best extended stretch of the season. Eight goals was a season high.
Schmaltz has nine goals and eight assists in his last nine games, and linemate Keller has nine goals and 12 assists in his last 16 games. His five assists Saturday tied a franchise record, last done by Keith Tkachuk on Feb. 23, 2001.
“The way the game happened, they came back and he (Schmaltz) came up big,” Arizona cach Andre Tourigny said. “His play keeps progressing, keeps getting better.”
Shayne Gostisbehere and Dysin Mayo also scored in the third period for Arizona. Gostisbehere finished with three assists and Keller had two.
Josh Norris, Alex Formenton and Nick Paul scored for the Senators, who have lost four in a row.
Down 4-0, Kelly scored twice and Norris added a goal in a 2:12 span late in the second period when Ottawa closed to within 4-3 entering the third period. Thomas Chabot assisted on all three.
Formenton tipped in a pass from Tim Stutzle to tie it at 4-all 56 seconds into the third period, and Paul completed the comeback less than a minute later, when he tipped a thigh-high puck into the net after Arizona goaltender Scott Wedgewood saved Nick Holden’s shot from the right circle a 1:53.
Keller tied it at 5 when he hit an open net at 4:07 of third period after Ottawa goaltender Matt Murray could not get back into position after coming out to play a puck on the back boards.
Crouse put the Coyotes ahead 6-5 with a wrist shot on a power play at 6:57.
“It stings a lot,” Chabot said. “The way we played (in the second period) is the way we want to play every night. We created so much offensively, but w also played really tight defensively.”
BOYD SIGNS EXTENSION
The Coyotes signed C Travis Boyd to a two-year contract extension worth an estimated $3.5 million. Boyd has career season highs with 10 goals and 24 points in 46 games after a slow start in which he was a healthy scratch in six of seven early games.
“I made a conscious decision when I was in that position to not be afraid,” Boyd said. “When you get a chance to go, it’s time to go. It’s time to show what you can do.”
Boyd, 28, also is one assist short of a career high while primarily skating on the Coyotes’ top line with Keller and Schmaltz.
ICE CHIPS
The Coyotes wore black uniform sweaters with rainbow-colored numerals during the pregame skate while celebrating “Pride Day.” … The Coyotes were 4-4 in their eight-game homestand, which was tied for the fourth-longest in franchise history. They have not won more than four games on their previous longer homestands. … Keller has 51 points and is on pace to become the Coyotes’ first 70-point player since Ray Whitney had 77 in 2011-12. … Maccelli is the eighth Coyote to make his NHL debut this season, one short of the franchise record.
UP NEXT
Ottawa: At Vegas on Sunday, the fourth game in a five-game road trip
Arizona: At Detroit on Tuesday for the start of a five-game trip.
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