Caleb Jones scores in OT as Blackhawks beat Coyotes
CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Jones scored 3:37 into overtime and Jaxson Stauber made 24 saves, helping the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Arizona Coyotes 4-3 on Friday night.
Andreas Athanasiou had a goal and two assists as Chicago rallied for the win in a matchup of two of the NHL's worst teams. Colin Blackwell and Seth Jones also scored, and Stauber improved to 3-0 in three career starts — all this season.
Clayton Keller had a goal and two assists for Arizona, and Nick Schmaltz had a goal and an assist. Connor Ingram made 40 stops.
Blackwell snapped a 2-2 tie when he stuffed home a loose puck 14:34 into the third period. But Nick Bjugstad responded for Arizona, beating Stauber from the high slot with 2:27 remaining.
The Blackhawks played without captain Jonathan Toews, who missed his second straight game with a non-COVID-19 illness. He could return on the team's four-game road trip.
Chicago trailed 2-1 after the first period, but Athanasiou flipped a backhand by Ingram on the goaltender's glove side 2:43 into the second. It was Athanasiou's 11th goal of the season.
The Blackhawks appeared to move in front when Taylor Raddysh knocked in a great pass by Max Domi with 11:57 left in the second, but it was waved off for interference after Domi collided with Ingram.
Bjugstad had a prime scoring opportunity for Arizona about 6 1/2 minutes into the third, but he was denied by Stauber.
Keller helped Arizona get off to a fast start, converting a wrist shot from the left circle 1:28 into the first period. It was the first shot on goal for either team.
Then Keller set up Schmaltz's one-timer with a pass through the legs of Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy. Schmaltz's 12th goal of the season in his 400th career game made it 2-0 at 12:34.
Chicago got on the board on Seth Jones' sixth goal at 13:53. The All-Star defenseman, who also scored during Tuesday night's 3-2 loss to Anaheim, beat Ingram right after Boris Katchouk was unable to finish a drive to the net.
WORTH NOTING
Blackhawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi is expected to return to the lineup Saturday night at Winnipeg. Tinordi (facial fracture) hasn't appeared in a game since Dec. 18. "Get fresh legs in tomorrow, against a bigger team, too," coach Luke Richardson said. ... Keller became the fifth player from the 2016 draft to record 300 career points, joining Auston Matthews (510), Matthew Tkachuk (453), Patrik Laine (358) and Alex DeBrincat (348).
