Coyotes come from behind to top Capitals in OT
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Clayton Keller scored with 27 seconds left in overtime and the Arizona Coyotes rallied in the third period for a 3-2 victory on Friday night that halted the Washington Capitals' four-game winning streak and their own seven-game skid.
Capitals coach Barry Trotz was denied his 736th victory, which would have tied him with Lindy Ruff for fifth place in NHL coaching wins.
The Coyotes, losers of 10 of their previous 11, limited the Capitals to two shots in the first quarter and 17 overall. Arizona got tying goals in the third from Christian Dvorak and Christian Fisher.
Keller, a 19-year-old rookie, then beat backup goalie Philipp Grubauer with a rebound off his own close-range wrist shot for his 12th goal of the season.
Arizona is 6-0-1 against the Capitals at home since 2006.
The Capitals fended off two Coyotes power plays after Evgeny Kuznetsov put them back into the lead at 2-1 with 4:32 gone in the third, but Fisher punched in a loose puck from the crease at 18:59 with goaltender Scott Wedgewood off for an extra attacker.
After an uneventful start by both teams, T.J. Oshie found the net for Washington at 5:40 of the second period. Jakub Vrana took the puck away from Wedgewood (15 saves) behind the net, skated in front, then gathered his own rebound and made a no-look backhand pass to Oshie for his 11th goal and first since Nov. 18.
Capitals defenseman Taylor Chorney drew a holding penalty with only eight seconds left in the second period, and Arizona capitalized on the power play early in the third as Dvorak powered a wrist shot from the right circle under the crossbar.
But Kuznetsov answered slightly more than three minutes later at 4:32, knocking down Christian Djoos' shot while screening Wedgewood in front and backhanding the puck inside the right post. Kuznetsov has 12 goals overall and seven points, including two goals, in his last five games.
The first period was especially lethargic by both teams, with the combined seven shots -- only two by Washington -- being the lowest in the NHL this season. Washington, which had won eight of nine, didn't get a shot until 10:21 into the game.
Grubauer made 24 saves in dropping to 2-6-1 in 12 games.
NOTES: Coyotes RW Nick Merkley, the second of the team's two first-round draft picks in 2015, was scratched after making his NHL debut Tuesday vs. Florida. ... With both teams playing on back-to-back nights, each used its backup goalie. Capitals G Braden Holtby expects to start Saturday at Vegas, and Coyotes G Antti Raanta is scheduled to start vs. Colorado. ... Arizona C Zac Rinaldo, who does not wear a visor, appeared to break his nose in the first period but stayed in the game. ... Arizona RW Josh Archibald played his first game since being acquired in a trade Tuesday with Pittsburgh. ... The Capitals are 35-8-8 in December under coach Barry Trotz.