Hill shines again as Coyotes win 4th straight
LOS ANGELES – Credit the Arizona Coyotes’ four-game winning streak to rookie goaltender Adin Hill. Or maybe newly acquired center Nick Schmaltz.
Either way, the Coyotes are getting the best out of the two 22-year-olds and it is resulting in victories.
Schmaltz had a power-play goal, Hill made 25 saves and Arizona beat the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 on Tuesday night for its fourth straight win.
Lawson Crouse scored a shorthanded goal for the Coyotes, undefeated since acquiring Schmaltz in a trade with Chicago on Nov. 25. Hill has stopped 84 of 86 shots since replacing an injured Antti Raanta to start the third period at Minnesota on Nov. 27.
“He’s unflappable right now,” Arizona coach Rick Tocchet said. “He’s feeling it and it’s a nice story.”
Tocchet said he hasn’t decided whether to stick with Hill going forward. Raanta and Darcy Kuemper are close to returning from lower-body injuries.
“Honestly, for me, we’re just taking it a day at a time,” Tocchet said. “You have to right now. He’s done a great job for us since that Minnesota game on. He’s come in and he’s put the plug in for us. We have some guys hurt and he’s holding the fort.”
As for Schmaltz, he has developed an immediate rapport with standout forward Clayton Keller and is looking like the player he was billed to be. The Blackhawks drafted Schmaltz 20th overall in 2014, but dealt him to the Coyotes in a swap of three underachieving firstround picks. Schmaltz put the Coyotes ahead 2-0 at 5:56 of the second period, extending his point streak to three games. He has two goals and three assists in four games with Arizona.
Crouse gave the Coyotes a 1-0 lead at 18:25 of the first with his fifth goal.
It was the NHL-leading 11th shorthanded goal for the Coyotes.