'Yotes Notes: Outburst in First Period Sets Tone For Win Over Blues

Ten Coyotes notched at least one point in the first period on Saturday night as Arizona exploded for four goals en route to a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues at the Scottrade Center.
Christian Dvorak scored twice and Clayton Keller chipped in two assists during the four-goal outburst early in the game that helped Arizona end a 12-game losing streak vs. St. Louis and beat the Blues for the first time since Nov. 12, 2013.
"They came from a road trip and it's their first game back so we wanted to jump on them," Head Coach Rick Tocchet said. "We were really quick in the corners. That's our key ... We were committed to get inside the dots. St. Louis is a great hockey team and to beat them you've got to get inside the dots and we did. We're starting to find some traction here the last seven or eight games."

Zac Rinaldo, who was back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch in Nashville on Thursday night, started the scoring when he swept a rebound past Blues goalie Carter Hutton at 1:53 of the first period. Dvorak then scored his two goals 3:04 apart, and the Blues yanked Hutton and replaced him with Jake Allen. A little more than six minutes later, Brendan Perlini beat Allen with a shot from the left circle at 13:15 for a 4-0 lead.
"We just outworked them," Dvorak said. "We really pushed the pace well and worked their 'D' down low. We threw pucks at the net and made some good plays ... It's nice. That's a very good hockey team and we're in their home barn, too. It's not easy and we played a really good game. We've got to make sure we keep playing like that."

• The Coyotes outshot the Blues, 23-7, over the first 20 minutes, and 44-27 for the game. The 44 shots were the most for Arizona in a game this season.
"It's hard to describe but everyone was just dialed in from the beginning of the game," Rinaldo said. "We upped our game from every other game we played all year. I think they were ready, but we just overtook them."

• Dvorak is averaging a point per game over the past six games.
"His game's coming," Tocchet said. "His skating has really improved for me the last month and his stickhandling. But for me, in front of the net there's hands. He's been working on that stuff in practice a lot. He's always the first guy on the ice and he works on that stuff, and when you work on that stuff good things happen."
• Jakob Chychrun returned to the lineup after missing Thursday's game because of illness. Chychrun assisted on Arizona's fifth goal, scored by Christian Fischer on a power play at 4:33 of the second period.
• Antti Raanta stopped 25 of 27 shots to earn his first victory since Jan. 4.

• The Coyotes won 54 percent of the face-offs vs. St. Louis. Dvorak and Brad Richardson led the way with 10 successful draws apiece.
• Rinaldo, who played on the second line with Fischer and Max Domi, took four shots on goal and delivered five hits in just 12:16 of ice time.