The Coyotes followed up a 4-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday by building a 3-0 lead in the first.
“It was great to come out there strong and get a lead,” Keller said. “We kind of let off a little after that, but `Vej’ was awesome. … He made a lot of timely saves, and it was good to close it out.”
J.J. Moser gave Arizona a 1-0 lead at 9:37 of the first period, taking a pass from Sean Durzi and toe-dragging the puck to the top of the slot.
The Devils allowed the opening goal for an NHL-leading 49th time in 67 games.
“Our start was disappointing,” New Jersey interim coach Travis Green said. “I didn’t like the first 10 to 12 minutes of our game. One of our keys tonight was being ready to go. That team over there plays fast, and we didn’t have our skating legs early enough. … We couldn’t catch up from not being ready at the start.”
Dylan Guenther made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 14:02, scoring with a snap shot short side under the crossbar from the left face-off circle. Keller got the secondary assist on the play to join Shane Doan as the only Coyotes players with at least 400 points since the franchise relocated to Arizona in 1996.
Logan Cooley pushed it to 3-0 at 17:32 after Lawson Crouse intercepted DeSimone’s pass in front of the Devils' net.
“It can be challenging (to play with a multigoal lead), but I think we handled it pretty well today, and that’s what it’s all about, to learn how to handle that lead and keep it going," Moser said.
DeSimone cut it to 3-1 at 7:01 of the second period. The defenseman, playing in his second game with New Jersey since being claimed off waivers from the Calgary Flames on Jan. 25, went to the net after starting a rush and scored inside the left post off a pass from Curtis Lazar.
“I’m trying to help win us games, and obviously [the goal] was overshadowed by the bad play by me,” DeSimone said. “We didn't win, so it [the goal] doesn’t matter.”
Keller scored an empty-net goal at 18:28 of the third period for the 4-1 final. It was his fifth goal in six games.
Coyotes forward Nick Bjugstad left the game early in the second period with an undisclosed injury and will have an MRI on Sunday, Tourigny said.
NOTES: Devils defenseman John Marino (upper body) missed his second straight game. … Kahkonen played his second game for New Jersey since being acquired from San Jose on March 8. … Keller has 401 points (160 goals, 241 assists). Doan had 955 points (395 goals, 560 assists) in 20 seasons for the Coyotes after playing one season for the Winnipeg Jets. … Arizona swept the two-game season series against New Jersey for the first time since 2013-14. … Vejmelka had lost 10 of his previous 12 decisions.
