The Arizona Coyotes celebrated the 1990s on Saturday, so it seemed only fitting that Clayton Keller found a way to match one of the team's greatest players from that very decade on such a nostalgic night.
Keller scored twice – tying Jeremy Roenick for fourth-most goals in Coyotes team history -- Michael Carcone added a goal, and Sean Durzi finished with two assists as the Coyotes beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 at Mullett Arena on Saturday. Connor Ingram made 30 saves to earn his 16th win of the season, and the victory inched Arizona closer to Nashville, which currently resides four points ahead of the Desert Dogs in the Wild Card Standings.
Arizona has two games in hand, and hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night to close out its home schedule before the All-Star break.
Keller scored the Coyotes’ first two goals of the night, and his 152 career goals are tied with Roenick and Laurie Boschman for ninth-most in franchise history. As noted earlier, it’s also tied for fourth-most since the team began play in the desert in 1996-97, just five behind Radim Vrbata’s 157.
Roenick played 454 games with the Coyotes, recording 379 points on 152 goals and 227 assists from 1996-97 through 2000-01, and again in 2006-07.
“It’s nice to string some together,” Keller said. “It’s exciting, and when you’re in games your team is playing hard and it’s fun coming to the rink, and I feel like that’s the feeling we have right now.”
Keller has two two-goal performances over his last four games, and nine points over his last six contests.
Roman Josi scored for the Predators, who lost for the second time in three games. Juuse Saros made 21 saves, but fell to 0-2-0 against the Coyotes this year.
“They’re the team ahead ahead of us,” Tourigny said. “That was the real definition of a four-point game for us. It was really important to stay in it. We want to play meaningful games, that was a real playoff game for us, and now four games left before the break, we need to finish strong.”
Keller opened the scoring at 9:52 of the first period, tapping in a pass from Dylan Guenther from just outside the crease. He added his second of the game 1:20 into the second period, giving the Coyotes a two-goal lead in a critical division showdown.
Keller now has 19 goals and 22 assists in 44 games this season, and the four-time All-Star has steadily climbed the ladder past some of the best players in team history over the past eight seasons.
“It’s been great playing here,” Keller said. “I’ve played with so many great players and great coaches, the training staff, equipment guys, they’ve all sacrificed so much for me, and I couldn’t be more thankful for them.”
Josi got the Predators on the board with a power-play goal at 3:42 of the second period after his slapshot from the point found its way past Ingram.
Carcone restored Arizona’s two-goal lead at 9:50 of the middle frame, taking a pass from Jack McBain in close and beating Saros. The goal was Carcone’s first since recording a shorthanded goal in Buffalo on Dec. 11.
Even so, he now has 15 goals this season, which is third-most behind Lawson Crouse (17) and Keller.
“[It’s been] an emotional roller coaster, I think I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that,” Carcone said. “Sometimes you just have to look in the mirror, I did that, and I was fortunate enough to get on the board tonight, so it’s good stuff.”
Arizona has four games remaining before the All-Star break, closing out its home schedule on Monday before finishing the month of January in Florida, Tampa Bay, and Carolina.
That made Saturday’s game even more meaningful, especially given how close the Predators and Coyotes are to each other in both the Central Division standings and Wild Card race.
Arizona and Nashville play twice more this season, on Feb. 10 in Nashville and March 28 at Mullett Arena.
“It’s nice to beat a team that’s fighting for the playoffs, and so are we,” Keller said. “We’re going to see them again, they’re a great team, and it’s great to get the win.”
The Coyotes are back in action on Monday, closing out their two-game homestand against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Mullett Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 pm MST, and the game will be broadcast on Arizona 61 (TV) and ESPN 620 (Radio).
