Coyotes Sweep Kings on Split-Squad Night

GLENDALE --Alex Galchenyuk scored twice and Oliver Ekman-Larsson chipped in three assists to lead the Coyotes to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in a split-squad preseason game at Gila River Arena on Tuesday night.
Antti Raanta stopped 18 of 19 shots in the first two periods, including an eye-popping glove save on a shot by Jeff Carter with 8:34 left in the second period. Hunter Miska tended Arizona's net in the third period and made nine saves.

Arizona finished 3 for 6 on power plays. Richard Panik and Vinnie Hinostroza scored two of them 8:03 apart in the first period to give the Coyotes a 2-0 lead.
"It's hard because we haven't really worked on the power play yet," Ekman-Larsson said. "But to me it looked pretty good. We were moving the puck, and we said before the first power play to just keep it simple and move the puck around. I thought we did that. We got a little bit too fancy the last two power plays, but it can only get better from here."

Galchenyuk, who played center on Arizona's first line between wingers Clayton Keller and Christian Fischer, scored his first goal with 1:18 left in the first period just moments after the Coyotes killed a penalty. Ekman-Larsson set it up with a nifty no-look, back-handed pass.
Galchenyuk netted his second goal during a five-on-three advantage for Arizona at 1:44 of the second period.

"He played a 200-foot game," Head Coach Rick Tocchet said. "Alex wants to play center, told me this summer, and he's doing a nice job. He's still learning the position system-wise, but he works hard down low and that's something I told him in the summer that he has to do and he's been doing it. Obviously he's got the shot. He's got to keep shooting it. He got two goals tonight, he's got to keep shooting that puck."

Jeff Carter scored both goals for the Kings, who capitalized on just one of 10 power plays.
"The first couple of periods we played with speed," Tocchet said. "Our power play was good ... our goalies played well, our penalty kill was good and we had some good efforts from some guys."
Meanwhile, the Coyotes also defeated Los Angeles, 4-3, in another split-squad preseason game played at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Brendan Perlini notched one goal and one assist, Jordan Oesterle produced three assists and Darcy Kuemper stopped 38 of 41 shots for Arizona.
Lawson Crouse scored the game-winning goal at 18:42 of the third period. Conor Garland and Nate Schnarr also scored for the Coyotes.
The Coyotes, 2-1-0 this preseason, will play their next preseason game on Saturday vs. Anaheim at Gila River Arena. Before that game, perhaps as soon as Wednesday, the team will trim its training camp roster by about a dozen players.