Rangers 4, Coyotes 1
NEW YORK -- Kevin Hayes capitalized on a third-period gaffe by goaltender Mike Smith to help the New York Rangers clip the Arizona Coyotes 4-1 on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
With the score tied at 1, Smith skated behind his net to play the puck. Smith's backhand pass deflected off right winger J.T. Miller and directly to Hayes, who backhanded his second goal of the season into the vacated net less than three minutes into the period.
Defenseman Keith Yandle, who was traded to the Rangers from the Coyotes last season, added a power-play goal about four minutes later. Right winger Rick Nash was credited with his first goal of the season when he was hooked while attempting to a shoot into an empty net with 42.5 seconds remaining.
Left winger Chris Kreider also scored for the Rangers. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist turned aside 34 shots for his fourth victory.
Rangers right winger Mats Zuccarello had two assists.
Defenseman Klas Dahlbeck scored his first goal of the season for the Coyotes, who received 23 saves from Smith.
After winning their first three games of the season, the Coyotes have dropped four straight.
The Coyotes didn't register their first shot until 5:14 remained in the first period and yet they took a 1-0 lead into the intermission.
Dahlbeck's goal was created by center Max Domi, who found the defenseman cutting down the left wing. Dahlbeck snapped a quick shot that beat Lundqvist to the stick to make it 1-0 at 15:34.
Kreider evened the score midway through the second period with his first goal of the season. Zuccarello threaded a pass to a streaking Kreider, who beat Coyotes defenseman Connor Murphy and tapped the puck past Smith to make it 1-1 at 10:06.
After Hayes' goal, Yandle burned his former team with his first goal of the season. He launched a slap shot from the blue line that deflected off two Coyotes and past a helpless Smith to make it 3-1 at 6:24.
Coyotes center Antoine Vermette suffered a lower-body injury during the second period and did not return. The Coyotes played about half the game with only 11 forwards.
NOTES: Coyotes LW John Scott and D Stefan Elliot were healthy scratches. C Joe Vitale (broken orbital bone) did not play. ... Rangers C Derek Stepan played despite being a game-time decision after having a wisdom tooth removed Wednesday. The dental surgery required the removal of two screws that were inserted when Stepan broke his jaw during the 2014 playoffs. ... Rangers D Dylan McIlrath and RW Emerson Etem were healthy scratches. Both players have appeared in only one game this season.