Keller extends point streak to 11, Coyotes defeat Sharks

Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist to extend his point streak to 11 games, and the Arizona Coyotes defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-2 at SAP Center in San Jose on Sunday.

Keller has 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) during the point streak.

“We stayed with it and found a way to win,” Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. “'Kells' leadership example is really important. ... He’s growing as a leader and as a person, and he’s a good example right now.”

Lawson Crouse and Nick Schmaltz each had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes (33-39-5), who have won two straight and four of their past six. Connor Ingram made 25 saves.

“These games are important," said Arizona forward Dylan Guenther, who scored the go-ahead goal in the third period. "We’re mostly playing teams that are prepping for the (Stanley Cup) Playoffs ... and we’re trying to take momentum into next season."

Henry Thrun had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (18-51-8), who were coming off a 3-2 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday but are 2-11-1 in their past 14 games. Mackenzie Blackwood made 23 saves.

“I thought we played pretty good in the first and second, enough to keep ourselves in the game, and then in the third I don’t know whether it was a back-to-back or we just weren't dialed in, we just kind of slid off the gas, and that's what's going to happen,” Thrun said.

Guenther gave Arizona a 3-2 lead at 4:56 of the third period, scoring from the low slot off a pass from Alex Kerfoot after Crouse swatted the puck away from Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro along the blue line.

“It was kind of a weird, broken play," Guenther said. "'Kerf' got the puck and I jumped into the hole and he made a nice play, and I just tried to get the shot off quick and it went in."

Said Sharks coach David Quinn: “We just weren't able to get the third goal, and then for them to get it, that easily was disappointing. I thought we didn't stick with it after that.”

Keller made it 4-2 at 14:13 when he skated into a drop pass from Schmaltz in the left circle and scored with a slap shot.

Schmaltz then shot into an empty net at 16:54 for the 5-2 final.

The Coyotes have outscored their opponents 9-0 in the third period in the past two games. They outscored the Vegas Golden Knights 6-0 in a 7-4 win on Friday.

“We were able to stay patient, not get too frustrated, and then bring it together in the third,” Guenther said. “We learned our lesson there (on Friday) with a really good third and kind of took the momentum from that game into tonight.”

Crouse gave Arizona a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 3:17 of the first period. He scored with a one-timer from the edge of the left circle after Matias Maccelli drew two defenders to him.

Thrun, who was in the penalty box for Crouse's goal, tied it 1-1 at 4:28 with his own power-play goal, a one-timer from inside the blue line.

Liam O'Brien responded for Arizona to make it 2-1 at 11:07. His shot off a wraparound pass from Michael Carcone trickled five-hole on Blackwood.

Luke Kunin tied it 2-2 at 11:40 of the second period by tapping in a centering pass from Thrun, who was free in the corner after defenseman Travis Dermott lost his stick and went to retrieve it.

Collin Graf had the secondary assist on the play for his first NHL point. Graf signed with San Jose as an undrafted free agent out of Quinnipiac University on Thursday.

“You can tell he's smart player, he can make plays,” Kunin said. “He found me there early in the slot. He’s young. It It takes time but, in two games, he’s done a great job.”

NOTES: The Coyotes swept the three-game season series. They hadn’t swept the Sharks since 1997-98. ... Dermott left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury. There was no update. ... Sharks forward Klim Kostin did not play because of an illness. ... Sharks forward Mikael Granlund had an assist and has nine points (two goals, seven assists) during an eight-game point streak.