Schmaltz scores with less than a minute left in OT, lifts Coyotes past Bruins 4-3
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Coyotes have thrived on a feisty, hard-nosed mentality during a surprisingly good season, but that reputation was wavering some after three straight home blowouts.
Nick Schmaltz’s goal with less than a minute left in overtime gave the Coyotes a jolt they needed badly.
Schmaltz’s 13th goal of the season came with 55.6 seconds remaining in extra time and Arizona edged the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Tuesday night. The center’s shot found the far side of the net, beating Jeremy Swayman, who entered the game midway through overtime after Linus Ullmark left with an injury.
Arizona’s Connor Ingram had 30 saves, including a few impressive stops in overtime.
“We pride ourselves on working hard and being a hard team to play against, no matter the result,” Schmaltz said. “The last couple games we got away from that and the score got pretty lopsided. These are tough days of the season, guys are banged up, everyone’s feeling a little something. But we get paid to do this, so you’ve got to be able to bring it every night.”
The Coyotes pushed ahead 3-2 early in the third period when Mattias Maccelli scored on a rebound. Lawson Crouse got the play started on a breakaway and his wrist shot bounced off Ullmann, giving Maccelli the easy opportunity to get his seventh goal of the season.
Jake DeBrusk responded with Boston’s second power play goal of the night, making it 3-all with 14:56 remaining, which held until the end of regulation.
The Bruins have lost three of their last four.
“You’ve got to bring it right from the puck drop, especially against the team that can make you pay if you’re not ready to go,” Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy said.
Boston’s David Pastrnak got the scoring started on a power play less than five minutes into the game, smacking a well-placed shot into the top right corner of the net, just over the shoulder of Ingram. It was his 25th goal of the season.
Clayton Keller tied it up for Arizona on its own power play goal midway through the second period. Keller’s initial shot bounced off Ullmark, but the forward corralled the rebound and scored.
Boston responded less than a minute later to take a 2-1 lead when Jesper Boqvist scored his first goal of the season and first for the Bruins, hitting a high wrister past Ingram. The 25-year-old spent his first four seasons with the New Jersey Devils.
The back-and-forth continued late in the second period when Arizona’s Dylan Guenther beat Ullmark with a low wrister. Logan Cooley got the assist.
The 20-year-old Guenther has scored a goal in each of his first two games since being called up from Tucson. Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said he’s already got a lot of confidence in him.
“You see the way we use him — words don’t mean much, especially early in 2024, I think actions speak louder than words,” Tourigny said. “Same thing as a coach, you put him in that position. I know the organization loves him.”
UP NEXT
Bruins: Host Calgary on Thursday.
Coyotes: At Vegas on Thursday.
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