Fend off Devils in wild final period

A four-goal head start wasn't enough to hold off the Devils as the Coyotes needed a late third-period goal to eke out a 5-4 win over the Devils on Saturday at Gila River Arena.

Defenseman Anthony DeAngelo wired a shot from the high slot with 6:29 to go, a goal that stood as an crucial insurance tally before morphing into the game-winner once Devils defenseman John Moore lifted a backhander over goalie Mike Smith at 15:02. The Devils continued to push and had a missed penalty shot by winger Taylor Hall, a photo finish that seemed unlikely when the Coyotes cruised to a 4-0 advantage early in the second.

Winger Radim Vrbata scored his team-leading 16th goal just 1:27 into the first period when he buried a feed from winger Max Domi by Devils goalie Cory Schneider. The goal moved Vrbata into sole possession of eighth place on the New Jersey Arizona Coyotes 5, Devils 4 0 2 3 1 2 1 — 4 5 First Period—1, Arizona, Vrbata 16 (Murphy, Domi), 1:27. 2, Arizona, Rieder 15 (Martinook), 2:53. 3, Arizona, Chychrun 6 (Martinook, Rieder), 18:25 (pp). Penalties—Jooris, ARI, (roughing), 7:45; Pietila, NJ, (roughing), 7:45; Domi, ARI, (interference), 13:24; Blandisi, NJ, (holding), 15:24; Vrbata, ARI, (cross checking), 16:24; Hall, NJ, (slashing), 16:40. Second Period—4, Arizona, Perlini 12 (Deangelo, Chychrun), 3:59 (pp). 5, New Jersey, Palmieri 21 (Hall, Blandisi), 5:47 (pp). 6, New Jersey, Bennett 4 (Severson), 12:09. Penalties—Greene, NJ, (holding), 2:11; Smith, ARI, served by Duclair, (delay of game), 4:36; Jooris, ARI, (roughing), 17:43; Noesen, NJ, (roughing), 17:43. Third Period—7, New Jersey, Palmieri 22 (Severson, Henrique), 0:17. 8, Arizona, Deangelo 4 (Chychrun, Mcginn), 13:31. 9, New Jersey, Moore 7 (Zacha, Wood), 15:02. Penalties—None. Shots on Goal—New Jersey 11-11-8—30. Arizona 8-14-9—31. Power-play opportunities—New Jersey 1 of 2; Arizona 2 of 3. Goalies—New Jersey, Kinkaid 6-9-2 (21 shots-20 saves), Schneider 19-22-10 (10-6). Arizona, Smith 17-20-7 (30-26). A—11,223 (17,125). T—2:40. Referees—Trevor Hanson, Dean Morton. Linesmen—John Grandt, Kiel Murchison. franchise’s all-time goals list at 153. Only 1:26 later, Arizona went up 2-0 when winger Tobias Rieder roofed a setup from center Jordan Martinook.

The power play then took over with Jakob Chychrun converting from the slot at 18:25 before Brendan Perlini added a fourth in the second period.