Coyotes clip McDavid-less Oilers in OT
ARIZONA 3 EDMONTON 2 (OT)
EDMONTON — Matias Maccelli scored the overtime winner as the Arizona Coyotes continued to show some spark, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on Friday.
Maccelli notched his 15th of the season 1:35 into the extra session, picking the top corner on Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard, who made a couple of huge stops a minute earlier.
Josh Doan had a goal and an assist in regulation, and Logan Cooley also scored for the Coyotes (35-40-5) who have won four of their last five.
Adam Henrique and Darnell Nurse replied for the Oilers (48-24-6) who saw a threegame winning streak halted,
Karel Vejmelka made 37 saves for Arizona and Pickard stopped 25 of 28 shots for Edmonton.
The Oilers remain second in the Pacific Division, three points back of the Vancouver Canucks, but clinched home ice for the opening round of the playoffs with the single point Friday.
Arizona started the scoring 5:20 into the opening period as Pickard kicked out a huge rebound on a Jack McBain shot and Doan was quick to pounce on it and record his fourth goal of the season.
Pickard was strong in net to keep it a one-goal game through 20 minutes as his team was outplayed in the first. The Oilers did have a few high-quality opportunities, including Evander Kane hitting a post behind Vejmelka midway through the period.
Edmonton pulled even 1:49 into the middle frame as the rebound from a Kane backhander came to Henrique parked in front and he slid his 23rd of the season through Vejmelka’s legs.
The Coyotes regained the lead four minutes later as Pickard allowed a big bounce on the initial shot of a four-on-two chance, allowing Cooley to bat home his 20th of the season. Cooley joined Chicago’s Connor Bedard as the only players aged 19 or younger to have 20 goals this season.
The Oilers tied the game up again just 1:12 into the third period as a Nurse point shot found its way through a ton of traffic in front for his 10th of the campaign.
Edmonton outshot Arizona 39-25 in regulation, including 18-8 in the third.
Oilers forward Connor McDavid missed the game with a lower-body injury but is considered day-to-day.
The Oilers host the Canucks in the third game of a four-game homestand today.