Coyotes Game 2 Recap: Coyotes drop their second straight game

The Arizona Coyotes are still looking for their first win after falling 6-3 to the Boston Bruins.

Game Recap

The Arizona Coyotes have dropped their second straight game. After forcing a comeback in the third period, the Coyotes couldn’t keep their foot on the gas and fell 6-3 to the Boston Bruins.

It would be hard to imagine a worse start than the Coyotes against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but that doesn’t mean they started well against the Bruins last night.

Arizona took back-to-back penalties as the game started, with Nick Ritchie getting called for cross-checking, only to see Troy Stecher join him in the box a minute and 29 seconds later. Arizona killed the 5-on-3, but Pavel Zacha gave the Bruins the 1-0 lead as the second penalty ticked away.

The Coyotes didn’t take any other penalties during the first, but you wouldn’t know that looking at the shots. Boston limited the Desert Dogs to just four shots on goal while extending their lead with a Charlie Coyle goal with just over a minute and a half left in the opening frame.

Arizona finally got on the board early in the second period, with Clayton Keller getting his first of the season on the power play from Travis Boyd and Matias Maccelli.

Say what you will about the Coyotes this season, but at least their power play is working. It hasn’t been enough to steal a game yet, but it could prove to be a difference-maker if the Coyotes find some way to tighten their 5-on-5 play.

Not long after Keller lit the lamp, the Coyotes would get another shot on the power play when Hampus Lindholm went to the box for tripping, but they couldn’t find a way to tie things up. Boston would regain their two-goal lead three-quarters of the way through the period, with Nick Foligno getting his first of the season.

The Coyotes looked to have regained some control of the game after the rough start, and with 20 minutes left to go, they had all the time they needed. And things were looking good when Nick Bjugstad found Josh Brown less than three minutes into the third, and the Coyotes were back within one.

The goal also saw Dylan Guenther get his first NHL point as a secondary assist on the goal.

Arizona looked like they killed any momentum with a Troy Stecher hooking call, but the Coyotes would not be denied. Shayne Gostisbehere stole the puck at center ice, walked in alone, and fired a shot past Jeremy Swayman to tie things up 3-3.

Unfortunately, that was about it for the Coyotes’ offense. Derek Forbort broke the tie at the midway point, and A.J. Greer gave the Bruins another two-goal lead three and a half minutes later. Another A.J. Greer goal with just under three minutes left in regulation would give the Bruins a 6-3 win.

Many of the same issues we saw in the Coyotes’ first loss came up again last night. The Coyotes couldn’t play a full 60 minutes, took too many penalties, and failed to lock things down. But after two games, we have seen that they don’t go down without a fight.

Lines

Three Stars

1. A.J. Greer – 2 goals and an assist
2. Charlie Coyle – Goal and an assist
3. Clayton Keller – Goal

Puck Drop

The Coyotes’ next game will be tomorrow against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 4:00 pm Arizona time on Bally Sports Arizona, SNO, and SNW and on ESPN 620AM.