'Yotes Notes: Perlini Scores Memorable Backhanded Goal in Loss to Preds

NASHVILLE -Coyotes forwardBrendan Perlini is known for his speed and his shot. On Thursday night vs. Nashville, he again showed off the former and a new wrinkle on the latter.
Tied 1-1 in the third period, Perlini weaved his way through mutliple defenders and then launched a backhanded shot over Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne's blocker and under the crossbar for his 11th goal of the season.
It was the prettiest goal of the game, which the Predators won, 3-2, in a shootout at Bridgestone Arena.

"I just tried to pick up some speed in the neutral zone," Perlini said. "It was a good pass in the middle by (Richard) Panik and I just tried to drive wide, get a shot on net, and luckily it went in."

Perlini said the Predators don't give opponents much space to generate offense.
"They play kind of like a trap game so it's very tough to carry the puck through the neutral zone against them," Perlini said. "We stuck with it and we had the lead, and unfortunately we couldn't hang on."

• Nashville's Ryan Ellis tied the score 2-2 when he ripped a shot through traffic and past Coyotes goalie Antti Raanta with 2:36 left in the third period.
Arizona challenged the goal contending that Preds forward Nick Bonino interfered with Raanta as the shot was en route to the net. Replays clearly showed Bonino struck Raanta in the right shoulder with his stick just before the puck past the goal line. The challenge, however, was denied.

"It was a great shot off the post and it went in," Raanta said. "I don't know if there was some interference or anything like that, but why not challenge it when the game is so close."
Asked if the stick contact kept him from making the save, Raanta said: "I don't know. There was so much going on in front of me so I was just trying to see the puck but I couldn't see it and it went in. I think it was a hockey play."
Coyotes Head Coach Rick Tocchet was not too surprised his challenge failed.
"I thought the stick hit 'Rants' before the goal," Tocchet said. "I guess they didn't think it was enough to overturn it ... They're good refs. It could have gone either way."
• Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored Arizona's first goal with 11.3 seconds left in the second period to pull the Coyotes into a 1-1 tie.
The goal was Ekman-Larsson's 96th and it moved him into sole possession of second place on the Coyotes/Jets franchise list for goals by a defenseman. Teppo Numminen tops that list with 108.
• Arizona was again strong on the penalty kill, especially early in the second period when the Coyotes erased a 4:00 hi-sticking call against Brad Richardson.
"We took their sticks away and when their 'D' got the shot I was just trying to track the puck and to see the puck and almost every time I saw the puck and was able to make the save," said Raanta, who stopped 37 of 39 shots. "It helps a lot when the 'D' are taking the sticks away so you can pretty much focus on the puck and you don't need to focus on if there's a redirect. Our PK is one of the best things we have been doing the whole year. To keep them at no goals in PK is a win for us."

• The Coyotes dropped to 1-4 in shootouts this season. Nick Cousins was the lone goal scorer out of four who tried for Arizona in the shootout vs. Rinne. Cousins is 4 for 12 in shootouts in his NHL career.
• With the loss, Arizona's record fell to 0-4-3 vs. Nashville in the past seven games played at Bridgestone Arena.
"I thought we really had a good game tonight," Tocchet said. "In the second period, we gave them nothing. And we were resilient. Obviously, (Perlini's) goal was a beautiful goal and individual effort. It was one of those things where if we get a bounce here or there and we win the game."
• Richard Panik notched both primary assists for Arizona. It was his first multi-point effort since joining the Coyotes last week via trade with Chicago.
• Jakob Chychrun was scratched because of illness.
"He should be good for the next game," Tocchet said.