Nathan Smith picked up right
where he left off
last season.
The Coyotes prospect scored two goals and goalie Anson Thornton made 18 saves, but Arizona dropped a close 3-2 game against the Vegas Golden Knights on the opening day of the 2022 Rookie Faceoff Tournament on Friday.
The 23-year-old Smith, who scored two goals in 10 NHL games at the end of last season, struck twice again on Friday, evening the score following deficits of 1-0 and 2-1. Golden Knights forward Brendan Brisson scored the eventual game-winning goal 8:40 into the third, as the Coyotes were unable to get anything else past Vegas goalie Isaiah Saville, who finished with 24 saves.
The Wrap: Smith Shines in hard-fought game against Vegas Golden Knights
Coyotes forward notches two goals, Arizona comes up just short in 3-2 loss
© Kelsey Grant
© Kelsey Grant