Lawson Crouse scored twice, including the go-ahead goal with 1:05 remaining, as the Arizona Coyotes rallied from a two-goal deficit to win their first game, 5-4 over the expansion Seattle Kraken on Saturday night in Glendale, Ariz.
The Coyotes had tied a franchise record, set in 2017-18, with an 0-10-1 start, which equaled the second-worst in NHL history behind the 1943-44 New York Rangers, who opened 0-14-1.
Antoine Roussel, Travis Boyd and Phil Kessel also scored for the Coyotes, and goaltender Scott Wedgewood came off the bench to stop 27 of 29 shots.
Jordan Eberle, Yanni Gourde, Nathan Bastian and Mark Giordano scored for the Kraken. Philipp Grubauer made 17 saves.
Giordano tied the score on a slap shot from the left point through traffic at 18:42 of the third.
But Crouse got the winner just 13 seconds later after Seattle defenseman Adam Larsson turned over the puck behind his own net. Arizona's Johan Larsson gained control and passed to a wide-open Crouse in the slot, and he put a one-timer past Grubauer.
Crouse tied the score at 3-3 with a goal 46 seconds into the third period on a wrist shot from the top of the right faceoff circle.
Kessel gave the Coyotes a 4-3 lead on a wrist shot through traffic from the top of the right faceoff circle on the power play at 13:34 of the third.
The Kraken got off to a fast start, scoring twice in the opening minute to send starting Arizona goaltender Karel Vejmelka to the bench.
Eberle opened the scoring just 15 seconds in on a backhander and Gourde scored on a two-on-one break at 0:59.
That was all Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny needed to see, as he pulled his goalie in favor of Wedgewood, reacquired by the Coyotes on Thursday off waivers from New Jersey.
Roussel pulled the Coyotes within 2-1 at 1:33 of the first, converting a two-on-one break.
Bastian restored Seattle's two-goal lead with a backhander at 11:04 of the first.
Boyd got Arizona within 3-2 at 3:12 of the second, redirecting a pass from Christian Fischer over Grubauer's pads.
--Field Level Media
Seattle | Arizona | |
Nathan Bastian 1 | Points | Shayne Gostisbehere 3 |
Nathan Bastian 1 | Goals | Lawson Crouse 2 |
Jamie Oleksiak 1 | Assists | Shayne Gostisbehere 3 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | Phil Kessel 1 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Philipp Grubauer .773 | Save Percentage | Scott Wedgewood .931 |
Philipp Grubauer 17 | Saves | Scott Wedgewood 27 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Seattle | 31 | 4 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 4 | 24 |
Arizona | 22 | 5 | 1-1 | 2-2 | 2 | 32 |