Sometimes losing streaks end emphatically, with the struggling team exploding for a big performance to get back in the win column. 

Such was the case Saturday in Anaheim for the Arizona Coyotes, who scored three first-period goals on their way to a 5-1 win over the Ducks to end a five-game losing streak. 

Derick Brassard scored three goals for his first multi-goal game as a Coyote and first hat trick since the 2015 playoffs when he was with the New York Rangers. Jakob Chychrun’s goal and assist helped him surpass the 100-point mark for his career, and Phil Kessel recorded the 500th assist of his long NHL career in the Coyotes’ win.

“It’s a special night, but any way you can help the team winning, and I’m just happy we won the game,” Brassard said. “I was at the right place at the right time. … We were ready to play, we had a plan and we executed.”

The Coyotes also stopped a negative streak with their power play. Brassard’s second goal, on the power play, stopped the Coyotes’ scoreless power play streak at 17 over the previous five games. 

Antti Raanta, back in net after missing the past two games due to injury, stopped 27  shots. One was a reverse spin on which he backhand swatted the puck away from the net with his glove in the first period.

Brassard scored on a deflection just 2 minutes and 53 seconds into the game. Chychrun made it 2-0 at 5:35 with a long wrist shot that eluded Ducks goalie Ryan Miller, and Brassard added his second before the period ended. 

Brassard made it 4-0 just 36 seconds into the second period. His shot from the left faceoff area got past Anthony Stolarz, who’d replaced Miller in net.

Brassard, a 33-year-old veteran signed in free agency to a one-year contract last December, has seven goals and 13 points on the season, his 14th in the NHL. 

Kessel moved into fourth place in assists among active American-born NHL players, trailing some big names in NHL history in Ryan Suter, Blake Wheeler and Patrick Kane. 

“It means I’ve played with a lot of good players in my career,” Kessel said. “I’ve been fortunate, and it’s a nice achievement.”

Kessel has 10 assists and 19 points on the season.

Clayton Keller gave the Coyotes five goals in a game for the fourth time this season, his goal with 7:43 to play in the game giving him 10 and the team lead in goals. 

The Coyotes finished a seven-game road trip to Colorado, Minnesota and Anaheim 2-3-2.  

Goal of the Game

Kessel to Oliver Ekman-Larsson to Brassard on the power play. A needed power play goal, a milestone for Kessel and what was Brassard’s second of the night. 

Up Next

The Coyotes return home for four of the next five games, starting with the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night at Gila River Arena. Arizona is 1-2-1 this season against the Avs. 

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