TEMPE, Ariz. — Nick Schmaltz and Nick Bjugstad scored on Arizona’s first two shootout attempts and the Coyotes beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on Tuesday night to end a nine-game losing streak.
Bjugstad, Travis Boyd and Dylan Guenther scored in regulation for the Coyotes. Lawson Crouse had three assists, and Connor Ingram made 37 saves. The Coyotes fell behind 3-1 early in the third period before Boyd and Guenther scored 1:10 apart to force overtime.
“We’re going to play a full 60 minutes no matter what is going on,” Boyd said. “It’s an identity of our team. We might not go out there and out-skill a team every night, but that’s no excuse for not being able to work harder than the other team. To be more resilient. To fight through. We go down 3-1, we could have packed it early.
“I think we’ve been playing better than some of the results that we’ve been getting the last week or so.”
Ingram has started two straight games for the first time this season. He stopped 25 shots in a 2-1 loss Saturday in Minnesota.
“It’s a learning curve for a young goalie who has always been No. 1,” Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. “You play two, three times a week. You have a rhythm. When you are a backup goalie and you play a bad game, you need to live with for 10 days, two weeks. It’s tough mentally. Now he has a chance to play a little bit more because we play more games, and that’s helps him to get going and be in a more regular situation.”
PHOTOS: Coyotes beat Red Wings 4-3 in shootout to end 9-game skid
Dylan Larkin scored his team-leading 15th goal for Detroit. Pius Suter and David Perron also scored for the Red Wings in the second game of a back-to-back. They have lost six of eight.
“Loved their effort,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “Probably got a little bit in the third there, which is perfectly understandable in a back-to-back. Ran into a really good goalie tonight. A little unfortunate witn not being able to finish, but the way we played tonight, three goals on the road should be enough.”
The Coyotes had only eight goals in their previous six games before breaking out in the third period. They scored the final three goals of the game while playing their third straight one-goal game.
After a sluggish first two periods, each team scored twice in a 3:03 span early in the third. Suter and Perron scored 58 seconds apart to give the Red Wings a 3-1 lead, and Boyd and Guenther countered in the 1:10 span to tie it.
Guenther scored into an open side at 7:53 after Crouse’s shot from the left circle hit the post and caromed to him.
Magnus Hellberg made 20 saves for the Red Wings in his first start in five games. Hellstrom stopped Guenther’s point-blank shot 3:32 of the third period, the best scoring chance for either team before overtime.
“I’m really disappointed right now,” Hellberg said. “Obviously, when you have the lead 3-1 of course you want to keep them out and win the game in regulation.”
NOTES
Red Wings D Robert Hagg (undisclosed) was scratched for a second straight game after being activated Monday. Injuries have limited him to one appearance in the last 28 games. … The Coyotes are in a stretch of 15 games in 26 days, a schedule that includes three back-to-backs and no more than one day off between games. … Arizona has a six-game points streak (5-0-1) against Detroit, its longest active streak against any opponent. … Coyotes F Liam O’Brien (upper body) missed his 16th straight game.
UP NEXT
Red Wings: At Vegas on Thursday night.
Coyotes: Host Washington on Thursday night.
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