Arizona 2, Minnesota 1
When: 9:00 PM ET, Friday, December 11, 2015
Where: Gila River Arena, Glendale, Arizona
Referees:
Ghislain Hebert, Tom Kowal
Linesmen:
Ryan Galloway, Mark Wheler
Attendance:
14404
By The Sports Xchange
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Mikkel Boedker can do no wrong at Gila River Arena. Even when the puck finds its way onto the Arizona Coyotes right winger's backhand, an admitted weakness, it still ends up in the back of the net.
Boedker scored his second goal of the game on a rebound 34 seconds into overtime and the Arizona Coyotes snapped a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Friday night at Gila River Arena.
The win was Arizona's fifth straight at home and Minnesota's sixth loss in seven overtime games this season.
"It was one of those games again," said Boedker, who had a hat trick in the Coyotes' last home game on Nov. 28 against Ottawa. "I had two opportunities and the last one just landed right on my stick."
Goaltender Anders Lindback had 27 saves for the Coyotes in the game's best performance. Darcy Kuemper made 18 saves for the Wild. Lindback was aided by a handful of Wild shots that hit posts but he also made four point-blank saves including one from the center of the slot on left winger Thomas Vanek, just above the crease.
"The last game for me was a real disappointment," said Lindback, who allowed five goals in 23 shots on Dec. 6 in Carolina. "It was nice to get back in this quick. It's nice to get a lot of shots in the beginning. When you make a couple saves early you feel good about yourself."
With Wild left winger Zack Parise off for high-sticking against Coyotes center Brad Richardson, Boedker secured a rebound of defenseman Michael Stone's shot and swept it into the open side of the net. Boedker had a hat trick in the team's last home game against Ottawa on Nov. 28.
"If that would have happened to me I would have expected a call, too," Parise said of the key penalty. "It was a tough play going for the puck. I get hit trying to get the puck and I got him in the face. You've got to call it."
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead 6:33 into the second period when Coyotes defenseman Nicklas Grossmann tried to poke a loose puck past Parise, who beat him to the puck and the Wild had an odd-man rush. Stone tried to block Parise's centering pass, but Parise got it over him and onto the stick of defenseman Jared Spurgeon, who redirected it past Lindback from the top of the crease.
With the assist, Parise extended his point streak against Arizona to 13 games, the longest active streak for one player against an NHL opponent.
The Coyotes tied it with 2:10 left in the period when Wild left winger Jason Zucker and right winger Jason Pominville hit posts at the other end.
Coyotes left winger Tobias Rieder forced a turnover and spotted Boedker streaking up the ice. Rieder's pass was too long, but Kuemper hesitated and Boedker beat him to the puck and then to the far side with a snap shot. The goal came on just the Coyotes' seventh shot of the game.
Lindback entered the game with a career 1.76 goals-against average, his second-best mark against any NHL opponent. The Wild failed on all four power-play opportunities against him, and has converted on only one of its last 20 chances with a man advantage.
"That hurts but I thought the power play was very good tonight," Parise said. "We just couldn't get one by him. He made some really good saves to keep it just a one-goal lead"
NOTES: Coyotes RW Shane Doan missed his ninth straight game with a groin injury and likely won't play before Thursday against Columbus. ... The Coyotes placed C Martin Hanzal on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. The move is retroactive to Dec. 6, the last time he played, which makes him eligible to come off IR on Sunday. ... Coyotes G Mike Smith missed the game and is day to day with a lower-body injury. ... Wild G Devan Dubnyk did not make the trip due to a groin injury and is day to day. ... The Wild's game in Glendale was the second of three games where Minnesota pro teams faced Phoenix-area teams over a four-day period. The Cardinals beat the Vikings in NFL action on Thursday at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. The NBA's Phoenix Suns host the Timberwolves on Sunday at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
Top Game Performances
Minnesota |
|
Arizona |
Jared Spurgeon 1 |
Points |
Mikkel Boedker 2 |
Jared Spurgeon 1 |
Goals |
Mikkel Boedker 2 |
Zach Parise 1 |
Assists |
Tobias Rieder 1 |
N/A |
Power Play Goals |
Mikkel Boedker 1 |
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
N/A |
Darcy Kuemper .905 |
Save Percentage |
Anders Lindback .964 |
Darcy Kuemper 19 |
Saves |
Anders Lindback 27 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
Minnesota
|
28 |
1 |
0-4 |
5-6 |
12 |
27 |
Arizona
|
21 |
2 |
1-6 |
4-4 |
8 |
40 |
Upcoming Games
-
Arizona will play their next game at home against Carolina. The Coyotes have a W/L % of .538 after a win and .438 after a loss.
-
Minnesota will play their next game on the road against San Jose. The Wild have a W/L % of .600 after a win and .417 after a loss.