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.
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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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