GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Antti Raanta got a surprise start in net for the Arizona Coyotes and made the most of it.
One game after teammate Darcy Kuemper posted a shutout, Raanta earned one of his own with 31 saves as the Coyotes beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-0 on Monday night.
“It was nice to get back out there,” Raanta said. “I’ve been playing a lot on the road, so it’s always fun to play at home in front of your fans and feel the energy there.”
Raanta and Kuemper became the first Coyotes goaltending tandem with back-to-back shutouts. Kuemper held the Calgary Flames scoreless Saturday night.
It’s the sixth time in Coyotes/Winnipeg Jets history that the team has had consecutive shutouts.
“Those guys are leaders in there,” Arizona coach Rick Tocchet said, explaining that both Kuemper and Raanta came in on a players’ day off Sunday to face shots. “We’ve got a 1-2 punch here that’s pretty special.”
Conor Garland had a goal and an assist, Derek Stepan also scored and Christian Dvorak and Nick Schmaltz had two assists apiece as the Coyotes won for the fourth time in five games. Schmaltz raised his point total to a team-high 18.
Raanta denied a breakaway attempt by Austin Wagner with 10:32 to play. Jack Campbell made 24 saves for Los Angeles, which had its three-game winning streak snapped.
“There’s been games where I haven’t made those timely saves, so obviously it felt good to make that,” Raanta said.
Garland’s team-leading 10th goal came when Schmaltz centered a spinning puck to Dvorak, who got a stick on it as he fell and put a shot on goal. Garland was waiting to deflect the puck past Campbell at 3:12 of the first period.
Arizona took a 2-0 lead on its first power play, using precision passing to score at 14:48 of the first. Four players touched the puck on Stepan’s second goal in two games, with Dvorak centering to Stepan for a close-range wrist shot.
The Coyotes had been 1 for 26 on the power play until Stepan scored.
“It was huge to get that going,” Dvorak said. “We were moving the puck well and winning our battles.”
The Kings got a pair of power plays in the first 8:30 of the second, but couldn’t convert and went 0 for 4 on the night.
The Coyotes cashed in on another power play with Chychrun’s goal off a no-look pass from Garland at 10:47 of the period.
“They get two, we don’t get anything,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “Momentum swings a lot. We tried to prepare our group for their quickness and their tenacity. We just didn’t quite get there. We weren’t ready to experience it.”
NOTES: The Kings and Coyotes have a spirited rivalry in the Pacific Division, and to that end, a video explaining a banner inside Staples Center that honors singer Taylor Swift for the most sold-out performances at the venue was played inside Gila River Arena. Some believe the banner has been bad luck for the Kings, who have gone so far as to cover it up for home games - so Coyotes mascot Howler unveiled a Taylor Swift banner above the tunnel to the Kings’ dressing room during the first period to cheers from Arizona fans. … Vinnie Hinostroza played in his 200th career game. … The Coyotes’ next game is against Toronto, their only opponent outside the division between Nov. 16 and Dec. 3.
UP NEXT
Kings: Host the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night, the first of four straight home games.
Coyotes: Host the Maple Leafs on Thursday night in the first of two meetings between the teams this season.
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