Defenseman Jakob Chychrun scored the go-ahead goal with one minute left in regulation, and the Arizona Coyotes rallied from an early two-goal deficit to snap a six-game road slide with a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night.
Chychrun's 12th goal of the season and second in as many games came on a blast from the point during a power play to break a 2-2 tie. Derek Stepan had a goal with an assist, and Taylor Hall also scored for the Coyotes, who are fighting for a playoff spot but found themselves in a 2-0 hole less than two minutes into the game.
Antti Raanta made 26 saves for Arizona, which won for just the third time in 13 games (3-7-3). It was just the Coyotes' second victory in their past 10 road contests.
Jake Evans and Brendan Gallagher had goals, and Carey Price stopped 31 shots for Montreal, which was looking for a fourth consecutive victory. The Canadiens had won nine of the previous 12, but they went 0-for-6 on the power play Monday.
The Canadiens did not waste any time getting on the board. In his third NHL game and just 51 seconds into the contest, Evans scored his first NHL goal by working his way in front of the net and pounding home a rebound past Raanta.
It would only take a minute more for Montreal to strike again when Gallagher scored his 19th goal of the season by putting home a blocked rebound of his attempt just 1:52 into the game.
Arizona, however, managed to get in on the first-period fun as Stepan took a short drop pass from Phil Kessel and ripped the puck by Price for his ninth goal of the season at 5:08.
The Coyotes tied it at 2-2 when Hall took a cross-slot pass from Christian Dvorak and one-timed it past Price with 3:24 left in the second period. It was the 14th goal for Hall, who has been subject of trade rumors and could be dealt for the second time this season after coming to Arizona from New Jersey in December.
Montreal's second-leading point-producer, Phillip Danault, exited after taking a puck to the face.
--Field Level Media
Arizona | Montreal | |
Derek Stepan 2 | Points | Jake Evans 1 |
Derek Stepan 1 | Goals | Jake Evans 1 |
Derek Stepan 1 | Assists | Nick Cousins 1 |
Jakob Chychrun 1 | Power Play Goals | N/A |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Antti Raanta .929 | Save Percentage | Carey Price .912 |
Antti Raanta 26 | Saves | Carey Price 31 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Arizona | 34 | 3 | 1-6 | 6-6 | 12 | 24 |
Montreal | 28 | 2 | 0-6 | 5-6 | 12 | 35 |