Nick Bjugstad scored the winner in a shootout as the Arizona Coyotes snapped the Los Angeles Kings’ four-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory on Friday in Tempe, Ariz.
Bjugstad faked a shot, then slid across the crease and put a high shot past goaltender Jonathan Quick in the shootout’s second round. None of the other five skaters converted in the shootout.
The game was the final one for both teams before they hit the pause button on the 82-game season for the NHL’s Christmas break.
Nick Schmaltz scored and Karel Vejmelka stopped 26 shots for the Coyotes, who won for just the fourth time in their past 14 games (4-7-3). Arizona snapped a three-game losing streak (0-2-1).
Alex Iafallo collected the only goal for the Kings. Quick finished with 23 saves.
Schmaltz opened the scoring at 9:45 of the first period, cashing in on a one-timer from the side of the net while the Coyotes were enjoying a two-man power-play advantage.
Clayton Keller zipped the puck across the top of the crease to Schmaltz, who extended his point streak to five games (two goals, five assists).
Schmaltz scored just eight seconds after the Kings’ Trevor Moore was assessed a hooking penalty and joined teammate Brendan Lemieux in the box. It was Lemieux’s first game back after missing the past 25 contests due to a lower-body injury.
Iafallo tied it up 1-1 at 11:54 of the second, blasting a one-timer past Vejmelka as the Kings scored on their first power play of the game.
Vejmelka was the Coyotes’ best player in the second period, keeping the score close by making excellent leg pad saves off Viktor Arvidsson and Drew Doughty on the power play. Los Angeles outshot Arizona 15-4 in the second.
The Kings were coming off a 4-3 overtime win against the visiting Calgary Flames on Thursday. They also beat the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks during their win streak.
–Field Level Media
