'Yotes Notes: Chychrun's Goal Extends Point Streak

GLENDALE --The Coyotes lost a rather anti-climactic shootout to the Detroit Red Wings at Gila River Arena on Thursday night, but by rallying to tie the score late in the third period they extended their late-season point streak to five games (3-0-2).
Rookie Jakob Chychrun scored the game-tying goal with 2:30 left in regulation.
"We know we're never out of it," Chychrun said. "It's anyone's game still when it's that late, and we're only down by one goal. I think we all had a sense of urgency. We all knew that we could tie it up and me, especially, I think I made a tough read on that fourth goal for them. I really wanted to make a play for us and try to get one back for us and we did."

Chychrun's goal was his seventh of the season in 57 games. That's second only to Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets (11 in 69 games) among rookie defensemen.
"There was no real pressure on me," Chychrun said of his goal, which he scored through traffic from the top of the slot. "I had time to walk the line and find a shooting lane and was able to get it through."
Despite earning a point, Chrychrun said the Coyotes missed an opportunity.
"It was a bit of a soft game for us, we could have been more physical on these guys," Chychrun said. "This is a team that played last night (in Colorado) and we could have kind of worn them down and we didn't do that."

• Captain Shane Doan did not play in the third period thanks to a lower-body injury he suffered earlier in the game. Head Coach Dave Tippett said Doan was day-to-day. He said the same regarding defenseman Luke Schenn, who left the game late in the third period after crashing headfirst into the boards.
• With 61 points, Arizona ranks 29th in the NHL standings with 12 games to play.
"I thought we were sloppy," Tippett said. "We didn't play as well as we did three or four games before this, but it was an entertaining game. Some soft play, soft calls, soft goals ... We want our young guys to push right until the end. We want our veteran guys to push right until the end. If we do that, it should lead to some points."

• Arizona's Radim Vrbata and Detroit's Franz Nielsen, who rank first and second in NHL history in shootout goals, squared off in the second round. Neither scored.
"The puck was bouncing a bit, so I tried to settle it down and get my footing right," Vrbata said of his shot attempt on Detroit goalie Petr Mrazek. "And it's a Czech goalie, so obviously he knows what's probably coming. So I tried to do something else, and he made a good glove save."

Brendan Perlini and Oliver Ekman-Larsson also failed to score in the three-round shootout.
• Goalie Mike Smith, who stopped 29 of 33 shots, said his teammates deserved better netminding.
"You score four goals in this league you should win," Smith said. "They bailed me out and got a point there, and I wasn't able to win the shootout. But we're hanging around games and that's good to see."
• Forward Tobias Rieder assisted on Chychrun's goal to extend his point streak to a season-high four games (one goal, four assists).
• Forward Josh Jooris notched two assists, won 10 of 14 face-offs, delivered two hits and blocked a shot in 14:01.
• Facing the team that drafted him 111th overall in 2010, forward Teemu Pulkkinen played just 7:09 in his first home game as a member of the Coyotes.
• Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder A.J. Pollock dropped the ceremonial first puck as part of "D-Backs Night."