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 Both are essentially mirror images of the other, with the exception
that New Jersey has a cornerstone goaltender in Cory Schneider and
potentially a building block in defenseman Adam Larsson.
The duo were key components in New Jersey's 3-2 overtime win over
the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday night at the Prudential Center as
Larsson scored the game-winner and Schneider made 18 saves.
"We played pretty well in this game," said center Travis Zajac, who
scored for New Jersey in regulation along with Mike Cammalleri. The
Devils won their second straight and their first at home as they
improved to 2-3-1.
"We're a team that's going to need different guys contributing on
different nights and we're going to have to win collectively as a
group. Everyone will have to chip in."
Zajac's theorem is one that Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith hopes his
team applies.
"The urgency I feel hasn't been there," said Smith, who made 22
saves for Arizona (3-3-0), which lost away from Gila River Arena for
the first time this season. The Coyotes have dropped three in a row.
Right winger Anthony Duclair and left winger Mikkel Boedker scored
Arizona's goals.
"I feel like parts of the game we haven't been hard enough, fast
enough in some areas," Smith said. "We haven't done it consistently
enough to win hockey games."
Pundits expected little of Arizona and New Jersey prior to the
season, outside of contending for presumptive first overall pick in
the 2016 draft, Auston Matthews. So benefitting two rebuilding
franchises, the game was devoid of scoring chances.
New Jersey opened the second period by firing five shots at Smith in
the first 3:12. By the time the period ended, the Devils had outshot
Arizona 13-10, and had a 1-0 lead thanks to Schneider, Larsson,
center Jacob Josefson and Zajac.
Zajac scored a shorthanded goal with 27 seconds left in the second
period for the game's first goal. The sequence began when Larsson
blocked Boedker's shot, then sprung Zajac and Josefson for a 2-on-1.
Josefson feathered a cross ice pass to Zajac, who deftly tucked the
puck past Smith.
New Jersey's lead lasted exactly 1:18 of game action.
Duclair tied the game 1-1 with his fifth of the season 51 seconds
into the third. On a line with fellow rookie left winger Max Domi
and veteran center Martin Hanzel, Duclair drove to the net and beat
Schneider with a deke for a power-play goal.
Cammalleri's goal at 7:09 allowed New Jersey to regain the lead, but
Boedker tied the game 2-2 with 50.9 seconds left in regulation.
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"He needed a goal," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. "It was a big
goal for us. It got us back in the game and it was his first one of
the season."
Larsson's goal 43 seconds into overtime ended the scoring. After
Hanzel fell down in the offensive zone --Tippett refused to answer
when asked if he thought his center was cross-checked -- the Devils
counterattacked and Larsson put in the game-winner from the left
side.
"I don't think people realize how big and strong he is," Schneider
said of Larsson. "He's got a little edge and developing a little
nastiness to his game. (He) knocks the guy down, takes the puck and
takes it up the ice and finishes it. that's the kind of player he is
and can be and he's doing it pretty regularly know which is
impressive."
NOTES: Tuesday night's match marked the 1,400th for Arizona RW Shane
Doan. Doan has played his entire NHL career for the
Winnipeg/Phoenix/Arizona franchise. ... New Jersey played with D Jon
Merrill (illness), LW Tuomo Ruutu (lower body) and C Patrik Elias
(right knee). Elias has not played in any of New Jersey's games this
season. ... Arizona D Jordan Martinook was listed as day-to-day with
a lower-body injury. ... The Coyotes scratched LW John Scott, LW
Matthias Plachta and D Stefan Elliott. Arizona had called up Plachta
from AHL Springfield on Monday. ... The Devils scratched LW Reid
Boucher. ... The Devils swept the series last season, winning by an
aggregate margin of 7-1. ... Arizona's game in New York on Thursday
night marks RW Anthony Duclair's return to Madison Square Garden
after the Rangers traded him to the Coyotes on March 1. The Coyotes
acquired Duclair, Devils D John Moore and 2015 second round pick and
a 2016 first round pick from New York in exchange for D Keith
Yandle, D Chris Summers and a 2016 fourth round pick. "It's going to
be special. It's definitely one (I circled) on my calendar. Being
traded was a shock. It's going to be a special one for sure,"
Duclair said. "I'm definitely coming in with some confidence."
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