Coyotes 4, Avalanche 2
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Coyotes defenseman Nicklas Grossmann posted the first two-goal game of his 11-year career, and center Martin Hanzal notched two assists in his return to the lineup as Arizona snapped a three-game home losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday at Gila River Arena.
Hanzal missed the last previous games with a lower-body injury, but he benefitted from the team's five-day layoff after its last contest.
Hanzal is tied for the league lead with several players with 12 assists in just 10 games. He hasn't scored a goal this season. Toronto defenseman Jimmy Thompson set the record for most assists in a season (29) without a goal in 1947-48.
The Coyotes (6-5-1) hadn't won at home since their home opener on Oct. 10 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Colorado (4-8-1) lost for the third time in four games and the seventh time in nine. The Avalanche failed to convert on five power play opportunities.
Goalie Mike Smith made 26 saves for the Coyotes to post the first save percentage above .900 in his past eight games. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov made 24 saves for Colorado.
Grossmann recorded his first goal of the season to put the Coyotes on top 1-0 at 7:05 of the first period. Grossmann sent a seemingly harmless shot toward the net, but with center Tyler Gaudet providing a screen and two Avalanche defenseman also creating traffic, the puck slipped through Varlamov's pads.
Arizona stretched the lead to 2-0 when Coyotes left winger Tobias Rieder beat Varlamov from the far boards with a shot Varlamov should have stopped at 2:41 of the second period. Hanzal started the play by forcing a turnover from Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadorov.
Colorado cut the lead to 2-1 a little over a minute later when Avalanche left winger Cody McLeod scored. He cleaned up a rebound after Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson split Coyotes defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Michael Stone to put a shot on Smith.
Coyotes right winger Steve Downie restored the two-goal lead when he got his stick on a rebound of Grossmann's shot from the point with Avalanche center Ben Street actually knocking the puck into the net at 5:15 of the second period. Colorado coach Patrick Roy challenged the call, arguing that there was goaltender interference, but the ruling stood.
Right winger Matt Duchene pulled Colorado within 3-2 with a brilliant individual effort with 3:46 left in the third period. Duchene got around Hanzal, cut to the net and somehow flipped a puck over Smith's shoulder into the top corner from a very tight angle.
Left winger Jordan Martinook added an empty-net goal for the Coyotes with 14 seconds remaining in the game.
NOTES: Coyotes C Antoine Vermette was out of the lineup again with the same lower-body injury that caused him to miss three games in October. Vermette had tests earlier this week and the team does not believe the injury is serious, calling Vermette day-to-day. C Tyler Gaudet took his spot between RW Mikkel Boedker and LW Max Domi. ... Coyotes RW Joe Vitale (fractured orbital bone) is on injured reserve. ... Avalanche C John Mitchell (oblique) missed the game and listed as day-to-day. ... Colorado C Jesse Winchester (head) is out indefinitely. ... Thursday's game began a stretch in which Colorado will play 12 of its next 15 games on the road. ... Avalanche D Brandon Gormley was in the lineup against the team that drafted him 13th overall in 2010.