Clayton Keller scored twice and Connor Ingram made 30 saves as the Arizona Coyotes won 3-2 over the Nashville Predators Saturday afternoon.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Keller and Michael Carcone both had goals for the Coyotes (22-19-3) who snapped a two-game losing streak. Nick Schmaltz missed his second consecutive game with an upper-body injury.
Roman Josi and Tommy Novak a goal each for Nashville (25-20-2), and Juuse Saros stopped 21 shots in the defeat.
As he was falling, Sean Durzi passed to Dylan Guenther in the slot. Not second guessing, Guenther ripped the puck to Keller who finished the opportunity, giving the Coyotes a 1-0 lead 9:52 into the first period.
As Sean Durzi was falling, he sent a pass to Dylan Guenther before Clayton Keller tapped the puck into the net. 9:52 into the first period. Arizona Coyotes 1-0 Nashville Predators. #Yotes #NHL #Preds pic.twitter.com/AjUUKZnYVk
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) January 20, 2024
From a tight angle, Keller would score again as Saros sprawled in his crease 1:20 into the middle frame.
Travis Dermott was then sent to the box for his second penalty of the game, and Nashville’s power play went to work.
Winding up from the point, Josi fired a slapshot off the post and in, beating Ingram and getting the Predators back in the game 2-1 2:22 after Keller’s second tally. The Predators were 1-for-6 on the man advantage.
Arizona got on the board again thanks to Carcone who broke a 14-game goalless drought. Scavenging for a loose puck in front of Nashville’s net, Carcone was the beneficiary being in the right place at the right time with a tap in.
With a loose puck in the #Predators crease, Michael Carcone taps it in with 9:50 left in the second period. Arizona Coyotes 3-1 Nashville Predators. #Yotes #NHL #Preds pic.twitter.com/oDfX1oYaie
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) January 20, 2024
Carcone was scratched for two of the three games in their previous three-game roadtrip and reflected on what was going on inside his head during that process and his goal in the matinee.
“(It’s a) Emotional rollercoaster, think I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that,” Carcone said. “It is easy to point fingers at people, but sometimes you got to look in the mirror and I did that and I was fortunate to get on the board tonight.”
On a breakaway with under 4:00 left, Keller’s bid for a hat trick was denied by Saros.
Tommy Novak scored with 1:16 left to get the Predators back into the contest, but the Coyotes held on for the victory.
“To be honest, it was a really tough game,” Arizona head coach André Tourigny said. “I think our guys really dug deep with the travel, we arrived at 5 a.m. (Friday). Yesterday was a day of recovery, but still a tough day when you skip a night. Today playing a 1 p.m., I really felt our game was with guys digging in and really wanted that game. It was not, energy-wise, easy and I am proud of the way the guys reacted.”
Next Games
Coyotes: Home vs Pittsburgh Penguins (25-15-6) on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. MST
Predators: Home vs. Florida Panthers (27-14-4) on Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. MST
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Alec Cipollini is a reporter of the Arizona Coyotes and Cardinals for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account @AlecCipollini
