“The more we play with each other, the more we talk about things, whether it’s where guys want the puck, where they’re going to be, or where we can exploit the opposition, that’s where we can build as a unit, continue to get better, and continue to grow,” he said. “There’s an adjustment period coming to a new team, new systems, all that stuff. It’s tough in the beginning. As you go along, as you play with your teammates and talk with each other, it gets a lot easier.”
Though rookie Logan Cooley has yet to score his first NHL goal, he has had a role in the Coyotes’ success on the power play, as all five of his assists this season have come with the man advantage. Those five points have him tied for the lead atop the rookie scoring leaderboard, alongside Boston’s Matthew Poitras and Ottawa’s Ridly Greig, despite playing in one fewer game.
Forwards Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz continue to lead the way offensively, each notching seven points through six games this season. Keller has four goals and three assists, while Schmaltz has two goals and five assists. Cooley, Sean Durzi, and Matias Maccelli are next with five, four, and four points, respectively.
Goalie Karel Vejmelka is expected to get the start after stopping 16 of 18 shots in relief of Connor Ingram on Tuesday. The 27-year-old netminder is 2-2-0 with a 1.85 goals-against average and .942 save percentage this season, his third with the club.
Though Arizona ranks 28th in the league with 15 goals scored, its defense has been stout, ranking sixth-best with 15 goals allowed in six games. If the Coyotes win on Friday, it will be its first time improving to 2-0 at home on the season since the 2008-09 season.
“We worked extremely hard,” head coach André Tourigny said of Tuesday’s game. “The effort we displayed there was fantastic, so I’m really proud of the guys for that.”
Arizona and L.A. meet once more time this season, on Nov. 20 at Mullett Arena.
Player to Watch: Keller has registered a goal in each of his last three games, and if he extends it to four, it will mark his first four-goal streak since Feb. 11 – Feb. 23, 2022.
ABOUT THE KINGS
The Kings lead the league in goals-for per game, averaging 4.5 goals over six games this season. Forward Trevor Moore leads the way with five goals over that span, while Kevin Fiala and Anže Kopitar lead in total scoring, with nine and seven points, respectively.
Moore’s five goals have come over his last five games, including a three-point effort against the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 17. The 28-year-old has 124 points in 269 career games, spent between the Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Six different L.A. players scored in Tuesday’s win, and the Kings turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead over a span of about five minutes in the first period. Kopitar and Moore recorded two of those three goals, while veteran Trevor Lewis chipped in the third.
