Vejmelka makes 42 saves as last-place Coyotes upset league-leading Avs
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Nick Schmaltz scored early in the third period, Karel Vejmelka stopped 42 shots and the struggling Arizona Coyotes beat the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche 2-1 on Thursday night.
Loui Eriksson also had a goal for the Coyotes, who entered the day trailing Montreal by a point for the fewest points in the league. The Coyotes now have 34, and they handed the Avalanche their first loss after scoring first this season. They had been 30-0-3.
Devon Toews scored the lone goal for Colorado, which still has the most points in the NHL with 84.
Schmaltz’s 12th goal of the season came at 5:27 of the third with the game tied at 1. He broke in on Pavel Francouz, then beat him with a backhander to give Arizona its first lead.
And then Vejmelka and the Coyotes defense held on.
With 3.5 seconds left, after Vejmelka made a save and covered up, the teams got into a fight. Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon and Arizona's Dysin Mayo got into it and were penalized, with Mayo getting a minor to give Colorado a man advantage. But Arizona won the faceoff and the game ended without incident.
After neither team scored in the first, Toews ended the drought with his 11th goal of the season 5:48 into the second. Toews’ shot from the point went through traffic and past Vejmelka. Cale Makar and MacKinnon assisted.
Vejmelka kept the Coyotes in it, later stopping MacKinnon on a breakaway and helping kill off a power play after the game’s first penalty: Shane Gostisbehere was off for cross-checking at 8:57.
Though outshot 18-13 in the second period, the Coyotes carried the play much of the latter portion of it.
They tied it with 1:49 left in the period when Eriksson scored on a rebound to the left of Francouz. J.J. Moser and Antoine Roussel had the assists.
It was the second straight win for Arizona against Colorado. The Coyotes defeated the Avalanche 3-2 in a shootout on Feb. 1 in Denver — one of only three home defeats for Colorado this season.
ICE CHIPS
Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper had the night off against his former team. Kuemper has 27 wins already this season, tying his career best that he set with Arizona in 2018-19.
Avs are 12-1-4 in one-goal games this season, losing one for the first time Thursday night.
DEBUT
Matias Maccelli played in his first NHL game Thursday. The Coyotes defenseman, a 21-year-old from Finland, was called up from Tucson to replace Andrew Ladd who was placed on injured reserve.
WHAT’S NEXT
Avalanche: Host Calgary on Saturday.
Coyotes: Host Ottawa on Saturday.
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