Breaking a 14-game losing streak, Matias Maccelli scored a goal and posted two assists as the Arizona Coyotes defeated the Ottawa Senators 5-3 on Friday night.
Maccelli, Michael Carcone, Dylan Guenther, J.J. Moser and Nick Schmaltz all scored for the Coyotes (24-31-5).
Drake Batherson, Vladimir Tarasenko and Shane Pinto recorded the Senators’ goals 25-30-5) as they lost their third straight game. Anton Forsberg made 25 saves for Ottawa.
After Liam O’Brien tried to stuff a wraparound past Forsberg, the puck fluttered to Carcone who fired a shot at an open net to give Arizona a 1-0 lead.
Carcone would connect on a give-and-go with Guenther before Guenther found Moser open for a one-timer, making it 2-0 Coyotes.
Following two penalties by Ottawa, the ‘Yotes went on a 5-on-3 to add to their offensive barrage.
Receiving the puck in the right corner of the Sens’ zone, Maccelli targeted Schmaltz with a no-look pass across the crease and Schmaltz netted his 17th goal of the season.
Behind 3-0, Tarasenko answered by just finding enough room to score past Vejmelka.
The second period would see an alteration in the game’s flow as both teams locked down defensively before a surge by Ottawa.
Solving Vejmelka in the middle frame, Batherson buried a rebound and Pinto fired a shot through a screen to tie the game 3-3 in a 2:03 span.
But to disrupt the Senators’ momentum, Guenther sniped toward the top-right corner of the net, handing Arizona a 4-3 lead in a back-and-forth third period.
Maccelli capped off their first victory in 14 games with an empty net goal. Vejmelka was able to hold off the Senators with 34 saves.
Next Games
Coyotes: Away vs. Washington Capitals (27-22-9) on March 3 at 11 a.m. MST
Senators: Away vs. Philadelphia Flyers (31-22-7) on March 2 at 5 p.m. MST
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