Flames fall to Coyotes in OT, fall behind Predators in Wild Card race

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Travis Boyd scored at 3:10 of overtime and the Arizona Coyotes extended their points streak to six with a 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.

Clayton Keller scored twice, including a go-ahead, short-handed tally at 2:01 of the third period for his 31st goal of the season. Matias Maccelli also scored for Arizona and assisted on Boyd's winner.

Keller became the first Coyotes player with 30 goals in a season in 11 years when he scored 9:22 into the first period off a pass from Barrett Hayton. The last was Radim Vrbata, who had 35 goals in 2011-12.

“I'm just sticking with what's working for me, when I do that I've been successful and that's what I want to continue to do,” Keller said. “It was definitely nice to get that one (30th) out of the way early. My linemates (Hayton and Brett Ritchie) are doing a great job.”

Hayton assisted on both of Keller's goals. Juuso Valimaki, who was in the penalty box for high-sticking during Keller's second goal, assisted on the first one.

It was Keller's second two-goal game in a row. On Sunday in a 5-4 overtime win over Minnesota, he scored the winner.

Boyd's 12th of the season was the winner this time.

“The boys are playing hard right now," Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. “We know we're missing big pieces. You can enjoy the fact that you have excuses, or you can show character and double down and that's what our guys are doing.”

Mikael Backlund, Jonathan Huberdeau and Walker Duehr scored for Calgary, five points out of the final Western Conference playoff spot.

Huberdeau deflected a shot by former Coyote Troy Stecher past Connor Ingram to tie it at 3 for Calgary with 5:01 left in the third period. Dillon Dube also assisted on the tying goal.

Ingram stopped 42 shots for Arizona, while Jacob Markstrom had 21 saves for Calgary.

Backlund opened the scoring at 8:14 when he beat Ingram from in close. Keller’s 30th tied it just over a minute later.

Maccelli gave the Coyotes their first lead 55 seconds into the second period, scoring his sixth goal of the season with Jack McBain and Lawson Crouse assisting. That advantage lasted just 1:08 as Duehr’s shot from the right side got past Ingram. Milan Lucic and Noah Hanifin were credited with the assists on Duehr’s fourth goal of the season.

Arizona appeared to take the lead at 7:12 of the second, but the goal was disallowed due to goaltender interference.

While the Coyotes have struggled on the road, they have taken advantage of the intimate atmosphere of the Mullett Center, winning four in a row, nine of their last 13 and overall are 18-11-3 in their first season in the 4,500-seat arena on Arizona State University’s campus. Tuesday's victory equaled the Coyotes’ longest home winning streak of the season (Jan. 26-Feb. 19).

NO ON-ICE REUNION

Tuesday was the first game between the teams since they swapped brothers Nick and Brett Ritchie at the trade deadline earlier this month.

But Nick was scratched from Calgary’s lineup for the second straight game. Brett Ritchie had a great scoring chance in the first period, but Markstrom was able to make the skate save.

ICE CHIPS

Flames: When D Rasmus Andersson scores a goal, Calgary wins — the last 14 times he has scored, the Flames have won, dating to the 2020-21 season. The most recent was Sunday against Ottawa, when the Flames won 5-1.

Coyotes: Keller has scored in six straight games (6-6-12) and Hayton in five in a row (3-7-10). ... Nick Schmaltz missed his second game in a row with an upper-body injury. Ritchie filled in on the line with Keller and Hayton.

NEXT

Flames: At Vegas on Thursday night.

Coyotes: Host Vancouver on Thursday night. ___

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