Coyotes Game 23 Recap: Penalties doom the Coyotes against the Flames

Dec 6, 2022 - 5:32 PM

Game Recap

The Arizona Coyotes dropped their fifth straight game last night, falling 3-2 to the Calgary Flames in regulation. Penalties proved to be an issue yet again as the Flames scored twice with the man advantage as they beat the Desert Dogs for the first time this season.

Arizona started off really well, drawing two penalties in the first five minutes and outshooting the Flames for the first half of the opening period. But, despite the good looks, they couldn’t convert, and the game flipped when the Flames got on the board first, with Dillon Dube getting his fifth of the season.

Giving up a goal shouldn’t be the end of the world, but the Coyotes compounded their problems when Jack McBain was sent to the box for interference. However, unlike the Coyotes, the Flames made their opponents pay, with Elias Lindholm getting his ninth of the season with just under three minutes left in the first period.

Down two, you would hope the Coyotes would come back strong in the second. Arizona thankfully avoided another penalty in the middle frame and even cut the Flames’ lead in half with a late goal from Shayne Gostisbehere.

Gostisbehere’s shot was through traffic, and it briefly looked like Nick Bjugstad was going to get credit for a tip. But even though he wasn’t credited with a goal, he deserves credit for limiting Dan Vladar’s visibility.

The Coyotes were still down when the puck dropped on the third period, but it wouldn’t be that way for long. Jakob Chychrun tied things up early in the period with his third of the season from Clayton Keller and Gostisbehere, and suddenly we had a game.

Unfortunately, the Coyotes couldn’t stay disciplined for the rest of the game. The Coyotes had a few close calls before the referees called Chychrun for tripping, and with five minutes left, the Coyotes were back on the penalty.

It didn’t take long for the Flames to regain the lead with the man advantage, with Nazem Kadri getting his ninth of the season just 42 seconds into the power play. The Coyotes were back to being down by one, with little time to make it up.

But any comeback hopes were shut down with 38 seconds left in regulation when Nick Schmaltz was sent to the box for hooking. That sealed the deal for this one, with the Coyotes again falling because they took too many penalties.

Lines

Three Stars

1. Nazim Kadri - Goal and two assists
2. Jonathan Huberdeau - Two assists
3. Jakob Chychrun - Goal and an assist

Next Game

The Coyotes will play the Edmonton Oilers tomorrow at 7:30 pm Arizona time as the road trip finally ends.