Stepan helps Wedgewood, Coyotes blank Devils
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Derek Stepan set up a goal in the opening minute before scoring Arizona's second goal, and Scott Wedgewood made 26 saves to shut out his former team as the Coyotes defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-0 on Saturday night.
New Jersey, which won at Colorado 2-1 on Friday night, came in with the NHL's second-best road record (9-2-2) while Arizona owned the league's worst home record (2-8-1) and a three-game losing streak, yet the Coyotes dominated from the start.
Stepan, who had a history of playing well against the Devils while with the New York Rangers, didn't take long to swing the momentum Arizona's way. On his first shift, he turned the puck over on the forecheck and steered a pass to Jason Demers, whose wrist shot -- the first shot of the game -- beat backup goaltender Keith Kinkaid from the right circle with only 34 seconds gone.
The Coyotes scored the opening goal for the 17th time in 29 games, and this time they built on it to win in regulation on home ice for the first time this season. Their previous two victories at Gila River Arena came in overtime.
Later in the first period, Tobias Rieder tracked down a loose puck in front of the net and tapped it to Stepan at the left goal post, where he shoveled it past Kinkaid, who came in with a 5-1-1 record. Stepan has 13 goals and 14 assists in 34 career games against New Jersey, and nine points in his nine games overall.
Justin Martinook, Alex Goligoski and rookie Dylan Strome also scored for Arizona, with Strome getting his first NHL goal in his 12th game.
While Arizona was killing off three New Jersey power plays, Wedgewood -- traded by New Jersey on Oct. 28, the day the Devils beat the Coyotes 4-3 -- made his biggest save on a undefended, point-blank shot by Stefan Noesen at 12:04 of the second. Wedgewood's shutout was his second in only 14 NHL games. His first came for New Jersey against Pittsburgh in 2016.
Martinook made it 3-0 late in the second, deflecting Kevin Connauton's shot from the top of the right circle past Kinkaid. Connauton also assisted on Stepan's goal, and his two assists matched his season total in his previous 24 games. Christian Fischer also had two assists.
Goligoski and Strome, the AHL rookie of the month in November, scored in the third period, his first goal in 12 NHL games.
NOTES: Coyotes G Antti Raanta (upper-body injury) sat out a fifth consecutive game, but could return Sunday at Vegas. ... D Jakob Chychrun, who had offseason knee surgery, could play his first game of 2017-18 on Sunday. Chychrun, who played in 68 games as a rookie last season, was recalled from AHL Tucson on Saturday but was scratched for the Devils game. ... Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, recently chosen as the National League Manager of the Year, dropped the ceremonial first puck. ... New Jersey is 3-2 in the second contest of back-to-back games this season. ... Arizona has played only 12 of its 29 games at home (3-8-1), and goes back on the road for its next four.