Kessel, Penguins nip Coyotes in OT

[January 19, 2019]  Phil Kessel deflected a shot by Sidney Crosby for an overtime power-play goal Friday to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins past the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 in Glendale, Ariz.

After Richard Panik was penalized for hooking Pittsburgh's Brian Dumoulin, Kessel was in front of the net when he shoveled Crosby's shot past goaltender Darcy Kuemper with 49.9 seconds left in overtime.

Juuso Riikola and Jake Guentzel scored goals 40 seconds apart in the second period for the Penguins, who spotted the Coyotes a one-goal lead when Clayton Keller scored in the first.

Arizona's Derek Stepan tied it 2-2 at 14:34 of the third.

Pittsburgh ended a two-game losing streak but has won 11 of 14. The Penguins are 8-1-1 in their past 10 meetings with Arizona.

Penguins goaltender Matt Murray made 30 saves to improve to 10-1-0 in his past 11 starts. He is 4-0-0 in his career against the Coyotes.

Kuemper, who had won four consecutive starts, stopped 32 of 35 shots for the Coyotes. Arizona had won four of its previous five games.

Keller opened the scoring for at 12:51 of the first during a four-on-three power play. He blasted a one-timer through traffic from above the right hash marks.

It was Keller's 100th career point, and his team-leading 33rd this season.

Pittsburgh tied it at 4:58 of the second on Riikola's power-play goal. He picked up his second NHL goal on a slap shot from the center point.

Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) checks Arizona Coyotes center Vinnie Hinostroza (13) into the boards in the third period at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

At 5:38 of the second, Guentzel gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead. Kuemper stopped Guentzel's initial shot, a backhander, but Guentzel chipped the rebound over the goaltender as he sailed past the net for his 24th goal.

Arizona thought it had a tying goal at 3:41 of the third when Panik lifted the puck over Murray on a rebound, but on a challenge it was ruled that Oliver Ekman-Larrson interfered with Murray.

Stepan tied it with less than six minutes left in regulation. He got to a rebound of Niklas Hjalmarsson's shot from the right point and swept the puck past Murray on a backhand. It was Stepan's ninth goal, his first in 12 games.

--Field Level Media

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