Clayton Keller scored and set up a goal and Nick Schmaltz notched three assists to lift the Arizona Coyotes to a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday in Tempe, Ariz.
Keller set up Dylan Guenther’s power-play goal in the first period to push his career point total to 400 before he sealed the win with an empty-net tally. Keller is the second player in franchise history to reach 400 points with the club.
Schmaltz scored and set up a goal in regulation and converted in the shootout of Arizona’s 4-3 win over New Jersey on Oct. 13 in Newark, N.J.
Logan Cooley and defenseman J.J. Moser also scored on Saturday and Karel Vejmelka made 37 saves to send the Coyotes to their second straight win.
New Jersey defenseman Nick DeSimone atoned for an earlier miscue by scoring a goal in the second period. Kaapo Kahkonen yielded three goals on 15 shots before being replaced by Nico Daws (16 saves) for the Devils, who have lost nine of their last 13 games.
Moser’s wrist shot from the slot opened the scoring at 9:37 of the first period. The goal was Moser’s fifth of the season and first since Arizona’s 4-3 win over Ottawa on March 1.
Guenther wristed a shot from the left circle that sailed under the crossbar to double the advantage with 5:58 remaining in the first period. Guenther’s goal was his 10th of the season and second in four games.
A turnover by DeSimone in his own end led directly to Arizona’s third goal with 2:28 left in the first period. Lawson Crouse selflessly set up Cooley, who beat Kahkonen over his glove for his 13th goal of the season and second in as many games.
DeSimone bounced back from his miscue by leading the rush and converting a loose puck on the doorstep to trim Arizona’s lead to 3-1 at 7:01 of the second period. The goal was DeSimone’s second of the season and first as a member of New Jersey.
–Field Level Media
