The Arizona Coyotes got a point in the standings for forcing overtime, but lost their fifth straight game Thursday night, 3-2 to the Anaheim Ducks after surrendering an early two-goal lead. 

Adam Henrique scored the winner 47 seconds into overtime with the Ducks on a power play. Arizona (12-13-5) has two overtime losses in the current winless streak.

Two early goals put the Coyotes in position to win, but the Coyotes couldn’t find a way to finish off the last-place Ducks. 

The Coyotes did make it through a third period without giving up multiple goals, which had been the case the previous three games in Minnesota. They came close to winning in regulation time.

“I liked the third period. We had some looks there to win the game on that power play,” Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet said. 

Despite the losses, the Coyotes are only four points behind the struggling St. Louis Blues, who hold fourth place in the West and the final division playoff spot. The Blues have lost five straight games and are on 33 points, while the Coyotes are at 29 through 30 games.

Forward John Hayden was asked how the Coyotes build themselves up to finish the current road trip with another game against the Ducks on Saturday.

The Conor Garland-Nick Schmaltz-Clayton Keller line, half-jokingly called the Short Leash Line by Tocchet because the three were grouped together earlier in the season and allowed to remain as long as they collectively played more of an all-around game, tallied all four Coyotes points. Garland and Keller scored, Garland assisted on Keller’s goal and Schmaltz assisted on Garland’s goal. 

Adin Hill, making his third start in the past four games with Antti Raanta still day to day with a lower body injury, stopped 28 shots. But the Coyotes got no production out of their other three lines, and the game turned with two Ducks goals 2 minutes and 29 seconds apart in the second period from youngsters Jamie Drysdale (in his NHL debut) and Trevor Zegras.

The pair scored their first career NHL goals.

“Heavy on the forecheck and keeping pucks alive,” Hayden said of getting more production from other lines. 

The Coyotes still have plenty to address. Their power play is a glaring 0 for 17 over the last five games after not producing a goal in four chances Thursday. They lost a 2-0 lead to a team that had given up 22 goals in its previous four games, all losses. They need more consistent secondary scoring. 

The Coyotes had a chance on their last power play of the game, but Jakob Chychrun hit the post with a shot.

“We just had sustained pressure for two minutes, so that’s a positive. But you’ve got to find a way to score,” Garland said. “It’s been a while since we scored a power play goal, it’s been a while since we had over three goals (in a game) so we’ve got to start scoring some goals here.”

Garland, the Coyotes points leader so far this season with 24, ended a five-game streak without a single point. Schmaltz did the same, and Keller scored his first goal since March 5, a span of six games. 

Goal of the Game

Four-on-threes are rare in hockey, but that’s what the Coyotes faced as overtime began after an interference penalty to Pitlick with 26 seconds left in regulation time. The Ducks took advantage fairly quickly with Henrique’s winner.

Three Stars

Third star: Garland, who raised his team leading point total to 24 and is tied for the team lead in goals with nine. His goal below:

Second star: The 18-year-old Drysdale, with a goal and an assist in his first NHL game. 

First star: Henrique, an 11-year veteran with eight goals on the season. 

‘Toc’ Talk

Up Next

A seven-game road trip that has seen the Coyotes record only one win comes to an end Saturday early evening when the Coyotes play the Anaheim Ducks in Orange County. The Coyotes have three more meetings with the Ducks this season, all in California. 

Get in touch with Jose Romero at [email protected]. Find him on Twitter at @RomeroJoseM.