Dylan Guenther scores in OT, Coyotes send Kraken to 7th straight loss with 2-1 victory
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Michael Kesselring and Seattle Kraken defenseman Will Borgen (3) fight during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 22, 2024, in Tempe, Ariz. Credit: AP/Rick Scuteri
TEMPE, Ariz. — Dylan Guenther scored on a breakaway at 4:12 of overtime to give the Arizona Coyotes a 2-1 victory over Seattle on Friday night, the Kraken's seventh straight loss.
Guenther put a wrist shot over former Arizona State goalie Joey Daccord’s glove. The 20-year-old Guenther has 11 goals in 33 games since being recalled from the minors.
“He brings a lot to the game — competitiveness, pace, execution,” Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. “Really good defensively, really good stick. He wants to win. He has that fire in his eyes.”
Clayton Keller tied it for Arizona with 1:08 left in the regulation with his 29th goal. He put in a rebound of a shot from Nick Bjugstad on a 3-on-3 break.
“We were our own worst enemy on the tying goal,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. “We just misplayed the three-on-three. Certainly we’d like to play that differently."
Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves for the Coyotes in the first of seven straight home games. They have split their last four games but have lost 19 of 25.
“It was a different game than usual,” Vejmelka said. “We were waiting for a goal for a long time. We had a great comeback. The boys in front of me did a great job. They blocked a ton of shots again.”
Arizona Coyotes goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) deflects the puck wide on a tip by Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers in the second period during an NHL hockey game, Friday, March 22, 2024, in Tempe, Ariz. Credit: AP/Rick Scuteri
Kraken rookie Ryker Evans scored his first career goal to open the scoring at 7:40 of the third period, beating Vejmelka with a wrist shot from a severe angle in the left circle. He had seven assists in his previous 23 games.
“Obviously, it took a little bit, but it was good to get the first one out of the way,” Evans said. “It was pretty cool. Hopefully, the confidence keeps building and I can play my way.”
The Kraken, 29th in the NHL in scoring, have only 10 goals in the last seven games. They gave up two goals in the final 1:20 in a 3-1 loss at Vegas on Thursday night.
Seattle had only one shot on its three power-play opportunities after having one power-play goal in each of the previous four games.
Arizona Coyotes center Alex Kerfoot avoids Seattle Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak (24) from a check in the first period during an NHL hockey game, Friday, March 22, 2024, in Tempe, Ariz. Credit: AP/Rick Scuteri
“Lethargic,” Hakstol said. “Bottom line, we're in excellent position to win this hockey game. That's a game we should have been able to close out.”
Daccord made 19 saves at 4,400-seat Mullett Arena on the Arizona State campus. Daccord played for the Sun Devils before Mullett opened.
Arizona forward Michael Carcone had an apparent tying goal disallowed midway through the third. A video review showed that Carcone kicked the puck into the net from right out in front.
“We want to work on playing those type of games, staying with it, being resilient,” Tourigny said.
The Coyotes plan to alternate Vejmelka and Connor Ingram in net the rest of the season, Tourigny said.
“I see a guy who is competing really hard, who is really quick in the net, who is making key saves, who is giving us a chance every night” Tourigny said about Vejmelka. “He has that fire.”
UP NEXT
Kraken: Host Montreal on Sunday night.
Coyotes: Host Dallas on Sunday night.
