Coyotes Bury Blues With Four-Goal 2nd period

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Clayton Keller had a goal and two assists and the Arizona Coyotes netted four second-period goals, cruising to a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.

Richard Panik, Jakob Chychrun, Christian Fischer, Nick Cousins and Alex Goligoski also scored for the Coyotes. Panik added an assist and Nick Schmaltz and Derek Stepan had two each as Arizona won its third straight.

Adin Hill, pressed into service in goal with the Coyotes’ top two goaltenders, Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper, out with injuries, finished with 25 saves in his second consecutive start.

St. Louis Blues left wing Pat Maroon Arizona Coyotes goaltender Adin Hill
St. Louis Blues left wing Pat Maroon gets his shot blocked by Arizona Coyotes goaltender Adin Hill (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Robert Thomas scored for the Blues, who have lost three of four. Chad Johnson got the start in goal and made 38 saves.

The Coyotes went on the power play four times in the first period and converted once, when Chychrun scored off a pass from Clayton Keller at 12:27. Chychrun, playing in only his seventh game of the season due to injuries, recorded his first goal and second point of the season.

Keller scored his eighth goal of the season 58 seconds into the second period when his shot beat Johnson on the stick side for a 2-0 Arizona lead. But Thomas responded quickly when he re-directed Jay Bouwmeester’s shot past Hill at 1:26.

The third goal inside of the first three minutes of the second went to the Coyotes’ Fischer, who put away a loose puck amid a flurry of activity in front of the St. Louis net at 2:59.

Panik stuffed in a rebound at 17:02 off Vinnie Hinostroza’s attempt from in close.

Kelller set up Goligoski’s goal at 14:08 of the third period when he worked the puck around several defenders before dishing to Goligoski. The Coyotes outshot the Blues 44-26, while St. Louis had 28 minutes in penalties.

Notes: Blues D Alex Pietrangelo missed his first game of the season due to an upper-body injury. F Alexander Steen, also injured in the Blues’ win at Colorado Friday, was also scratched. … F Robby Fabbri was seen doubled over in pain at the end of the first period. He left with an upper body injury and didn’t return. … Coyotes F Michael Grabner left in the first period after taking a Sammy Blais stick to his face and did not return. Blais got a double minor penalty for high sticking. … Coyotes D Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s second period assist was the 200th of his NHL career.

UP NEXT

St. Louis hosts Edmonton Wednesday night.

Arizona is at the Los Angeles Kings Tuesday night.

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Jose M. Romero, The Associated Press