Keller's 2nd of game in OT gives Coyotes 5-4 win over Wild
Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller scores a goal in overtime surrounded by defenseman J.J. Moser (90), Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (14), goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32), and defenseman Jared Spurgeon (46) during an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 12, 2023, in Tempe, Ariz. Arizona won 5-4 in overtime. Credit: AP/Rick Scuteri
TEMPE, Ariz. — Clayton Keller's second goal of the night at 4:09 of overtime lifted the Arizona Coyotes to a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday night.
Barrett Hayton had two goals and an assist for Arizona. Keller's pair gave him 29 for the season and Brett Ritchie scored his eighth — and second in three games since being acquired from Calgary in a trade involving his brother Nick. Ritchie also had two assists. Karel Vejmelka had 30 saves.
Minnesota tied its franchise record points streak at 13 games (10-0-3). The Wild matched the team mark (12-0-1) set from Dec. 2-29, 2016. But the Wild trails Dallas by one point (85-84) in the Central Division.
Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Reaves, Matt Boldy and Connor Dewar had goals for Minnesota. Filip Gustavsson finished with 18 saves.
The Wild played their second game without injured Kirill Kaprizov, who went out Wednesday against Winnipeg with a lower-body injury and may miss the rest of the regular season. Kaprizov leads Minnesota with 39 goals.
It was a physical game from the beginning — there were four fights, with the main event coming midway through the third period when Minnesota’s Jake Middleton and Arizona’s Lawson Crouse traded several punches. That fight was prompted when the Coyotes’ Jack McBain knocked down Mats Zuccarello.
A frenetic first period featured two goals from Hayton, two fights and a rare Reaves goal.
Minnesota Wild right wing Mats Zuccarello (36) and Arizona Coyotes defenseman Patrik Nemeth (2) fight for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 12, 2023, in Tempe, Ariz. Arizona won 5-4 in overtime. Credit: AP/Rick Scuteri
Hayton started the scoring early, beating Gustavsson on a wrist shot from the slot 1:28 into the game.
Reaves and Arizona’s Bokondji Imama dropped the gloves at 2:59, but the fight consisted mostly of posturing and a little wrestling. They still got five minutes each. The second bout at 4:28. featured Minnesota’s Marcus Foligno and the Coyotes’ Liam O’Brien, as well as some actual punches.
The Wild tied it at 5:32 on Zucccarello’s 22nd goal of the season.
Hayton scored his second of the night, and 13th of the season, on the power play 24 seconds after Frederick Gaudreau was penalized for tripping.
Minnesota Wild center Frederick Gaudreau (89) skates after the puck in front of Arizona Coyotes defenseman Connor Mackey (12), defenseman Victor Soderstrom (77), and goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 12, 2023, in Tempe, Ariz. Arizona won 5-4 in overtime. Credit: AP/Rick Scuteri
However, Reaves — parked in front of Vejmelka — scored his second of the season at 18:35.
Boldy broke in alone on Vejmelka and scored his 19th 1:50 into the second period to give the Wild their first lead at 3-2.
And the third fight of the night broke out less than five minutes into that period when Minnesota’s Mason Shaw and Arizona’s Connor Mackey squared off.
Dewar scored with 5:01 left in the second before Ritchie cut it to 4-3 with 1:12 left in the period.
After the raucous activity of the middle of the period, Arizona tied it up on Keller’s goal with 7:54 left. It was Keller's team-high 28th.
ICE CHIPS
Foligno went to the locker room early in the third period with what appeared to be a lower-body injury. He was slow to get to his feet, went slowly off the ice and slammed his stick against the boards on the way off. He did not return. ... Coyotes forwards Nick Schmaltz and Christian Fischer were both out with lower body injuries. ... Zuccarello’s goal tied him for second on the Wild with Joel Erikkson Ek with 22.
NEXT
Wild: At St. Louis on Wednesday night.
Coyotes: Host Calgary on Tuesday night.
