Crouse, Schmaltz lift Coyotes over Senators
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Nick Schmaltz scored the game-winner to extend his point streak, Lawson Crouse had a hat trick and the Arizona Coyotes beat the Ottawa Senators 5-3 on Monday night.
Schmaltz has 15 points in his last six games (six goals, nine assists) and Crouse's goals were varied: one at even strength, one on the power play and shorthanded. Barrett Hayton added an empty-net goal for the Coyotes and Scott Wedgewood made 40 saves to pick up his 10th win of the season.
The Coyotes take the season series, having beaten Ottawa 8-5 in Arizona.
Josh Norris had two goals for the Senators, Connor Brown also scored and Filip Gustavsson stopped 12 shots in his first NHL start since Feb. 20.
Ottawa trailed 3-2 to start the third, but tied things up at the seven-minute mark when Brown buried a Brady Tkachuk rebound. The Coyotes regained the lead 16 seconds later as Schmaltz took a pass in front and beat a sprawled Gustavsson.
An eventful first period ended with the teams tied at 2. In the opening minutes, Tkachuk went hard to the net and Norris was there to jam home the rebound.
Crouse then scored back-to-back goals for the Coyotes. The first was a great shot high glove side and the second was on the power play as he tipped a Shayne Gostisbehere point shot.
Norris tied the game on the power play with his second of the night.
Crouse's hat trick was completed late in the second period, beating Gustavsson shorthanded after taking advantage of a Senators giveaway and winning a foot race for a loose puck to break in alone.
NOTES
Senators: A healthy scratch the last five games, Tyler Ennis returned to the lineup in place of Adam Gaudette.
Arizona: Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun suffered a lower-body injury on Saturday night versus the Boston Bruins and will be out of the lineup two to four weeks.
UP NEXT
Coyotes: At Montreal on Tuesday night.
Senators: Host Columbus on Wednesday night.
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