An offensive second period powered the Arizona Coyotes to an 8-4 win in Tempe, Ariz., on Thursday night, snapping Nashville’s franchise-record 18-game point streak.
Nick Bjugstad scored the eventual winning goal for Arizona at the 12:36 mark of the second period, while the Coyotes used a four-goal second period to push them to victory, aided by empty-net goals from Matias Maccelli and Logan Cooley in the final frame.
Clayton Keller led the Coyotes in scoring with a goal and three assists, while Logan Cooley’s three goals marked his first career multi-goal game and first hat trick. Bjugstad, Nick Schmaltz and Jack McBain also contributed to the scoring outburst.
Nashville’s Jason Zucker, who was traded from the Coyotes to the Predators on March 8 in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round pick in the NHL Draft, scored twice in the opening 5:11 for his new team, beating Connor Ingram on his first two shots back at Mullett Arena to give the Predators the early advantage, before their collapse.
Gustav Nyquist also notched his 21st goal of the season at the 11:08 mark of the second period on the power play, bringing Nashville as close as it would get (behind 4-3) before the Coyotes ran away with the result.
After trailing by a pair within the opening moments, Arizona stormed back to end the first period. Cooley tied the contest with his first marker on the night, driving to the net to slide the puck into the net after Lawson Crouse launched him on goal.
Arizona took a 3-2 lead on a swift three-man exchange that finished with Keller’s 31st goal of the season 7:11 into the second.
The Predators cut into Arizona’s lead late in the third period, with Filip Forsberg scoring his 41st goal of the campaign on the power play at 16:40, but he couldn’t beat Ingram further, with the Arizona netminder finishing with 33 saves.
In Nashville’s crease, starter Juuse Saros lasted just two periods, stopping 21 of 27 shots, before making way for Kevin Lankinen, who pushed aside all 11 shots he faced in the final frame.
Already eliminated from playoff contention, the win marked Arizona’s fifth in its last seven outings.
–Field Level Media