Nick Bjugstad and Nick Schmaltz scored in the shootout, helping the Arizona Coyotes rally from a two-goal deficit to defeat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Friday night.
Coyotes’ Offensive Contributions
Schmaltz also notched a goal and an assist during regulation, while Matt Dumba and Sean Durzi added goals for the Coyotes in their season opener. Rookie forward Logan Cooley, making his NHL debut, contributed two assists, and Karel Vejmelka made 33 saves.
“We played an elite team. We knew what to expect,” said Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny. “We had urgency. We had pace.”
Devils’ Standout Performances
Jesper Bratt scored twice and had an assist, Dougie Hamilton contributed a goal and an assist, and Jack Hughes assisted three times for New Jersey. The Devils, who won their opener against Detroit the previous night, saw Akira Schmid make 30 saves.
Shootout Heroes
In the shootout, Bjugstad and Schmaltz converted Arizona’s two attempts, while Vejmelka stopped New Jersey’s Timo Meier and Bratt to secure the win.
“Everybody came to play. We have a lot of new guys and there was a lot of excitement in the room,” Schmaltz noted. “We did a really good job and we were hard on them.”
Early Lead and Devils’ Comeback
Dumba opened the scoring at 6:22 of the first period, marking his Coyotes debut after a decade with Minnesota. Durzi extended the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal early in the second period. However, the Devils responded with three goals in an 11-minute span to take the lead.
“It was a disappointing start to the game; first period again,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff commented on his team’s slow start. “They looked fresher, ready to play in their first game. We know there’s no easy game, so if you don’t have your ‘A’ game right off the bat, the other team could take it to you.”
Devil’s Brief Lead
Bratt started the Devils’ comeback at 8:09 of the second period, followed by Hamilton’s goal to tie the game with 7:31 left. Bratt’s second goal came with 1:07 remaining in the second period, putting New Jersey ahead 3-2.
Schmaltz’s Equalizer
Schmaltz tied the game again with a power-play goal with 6:05 left in the third period, assisted by Cooley. “I just whacked it, and it went in,” Schmaltz said.
Hughes, who led the Devils with 43 goals and 99 points last season, now has five points in two games after scoring twice the previous night.
Impressive Debut for Cooley
For the 19-year-old Cooley, the third overall pick in the 2022 draft, his NHL debut was memorable following his rookie lap in warmups. “I thought I did a good job of staying focused. I just wanted to have fun,” he said. “I was a little nervous initially, but once you get going, it’s just another hockey game.”
New Faces on the Coyotes
The Coyotes bolstered their roster with six free agents during the offseason, including forwards Dumba, Bjugstad, Jason Zucker, Alex Kerfoot, and defensemen Travis Dermott and Troy Stecher. Arizona also acquired Durzi via trade from the Los Angeles Kings.
Game Notes
The teams will meet again on March 16 in Arizona. New Jersey scratched D Chris Tierney, D Colin Miller, and F Curtis Lazar. Arizona scratched F Travis Boyd and Stecher.
Upcoming Games
- Devils: Host Florida on Monday night.
- Coyotes: Visit the New York Rangers on Monday night.
