TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Jake Guentzel scored two goals, Casey DeSmith stopped 23 shots and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Arizona Coyotes 4-1 Sunday night to end a six-game losing streak.
Pittsburgh fell into an early hole on Barrett Hayton’s first-period goal, but Guentzel scored twice in a little over three minutes in the second. Jason Zucker also scored, Jeff Carter added an empty-net goal and Sidney Crosby had two assists in Pittsburgh’s first win since Dec. 20.
Karel Vejmelka had 24 saves for Arizona, which has lost five straight.
The Coyotes were glad to be back at The Mullett after going 0-fer on a four-game road trip back east.
They wasted little time feeling comfortable again in the NHL’s smallest arena, scoring five minutes into the game. All-Star Clayton Keller set it up, sending a pass across the crease to Hayton for a one-timer.
The Penguins spoiled the Mullett vibes in the second period.
Guentzel tied it six minutes in, one-timing a short pass from Sidney Crosby into the goal before Vejmelka could slide over. Guentzel scored again midway through the period, beating Vejmelka from a sharp angle after first fumbling Bryan Rust’s pass.
Arizona went on a rash of penalties, but the Penguins couldn’t capitalize. DeSmith also had to stop Nick Bjugstad on a short-handed breakaway with Pittsburgh on a two-man advantage.
Zucker put Pittsburgh up 3-1 midway through the third period, sliding across the crease before flipping a backhander over Vejmelka.
NOTES: Pittsburgh F Ryan Poehling missed his third straight game with an upper-body injury. … Arizona recalled Ivan Prosvetov from Tucson of the AHL to serve as Vejmelka’s backup with Connor Ingram out sick. …. Penguins F Kris Letang remained in Montreal and missed his third straight game following the death of his father, Claude Fouquet.
UP NEXT
Penguins: Host Vancouver on Tuesday night.
Coyotes: Host San Jose on Tuesday night.
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