Recap: Kuemper, Cousins Key Critical Victory Over Blackhawks

GLENDALE --The Coyotes stoked their hopes of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday night with a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at Gila River Arena.

Darcy Kuemper stopped all 31 shots he faced, including 14 in the third period when the Blackhawks shifted into desperation mode to save their season.
"We didn't give them anything off the rush, and that's where they're so dangerous," Kuemper said after notching his 25th win and fourth shutout of the season, both career-highs. "They're a good team, they're going to create a little bit, but we limited them. It was win by committee."

Nick Cousins scored the lone goal of the game at 5:40 of the third period when he swept the rebound of his initial shot past Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford during an Arizona power play.
"We're having trouble scoring goals and we know that," Head Coach Rick Tocchet said. "Sometimes you've got to win 1-0 and we did, and that's something that I'm proud of this team about doing. It took 1-0 to win. Nick scored a huge goal for us."

With the win, the Coyotes banked two more points and now have 81 with five games to play. The Colorado Avalanche also have 81 points but sit above Arizona in the Western Conference standings in the second wildcard spot because they've played one fewer game. The teams will square off Friday night in Denver, after the Avs host Vegas on Wednesday.
• Scoring the game-winning goal, and his first in 19 games, was extra gratifying for Cousins because he sat out Sunday's game vs. the New York Islanders as a healthy scratch.
"I didn't like sitting out in Long Island," Cousins said. "You never want to see your team (play) from the press box. I haven't really been happy with my game the last maybe 15 or so games, but you take a breather up there and the game slows down for you ... Going down the stretch, every game and every point is crucial for us, so it's nice to help contribute."

Tocchet said he liked how Cousins didn't sulk about being benched and accepted the challenge to perform better at the most important time of the season.
"He was ready to play," Tocchet said. "I thought he was moving his feet tonight and maybe that loosened him up. It just goes to show you that if you don't play, you can be a hero if you get in the lineup."

• Lawson Crouse set up the decisive power play by drawing a tripping penalty on Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook.
"That's a huge goal," Crouse said. "... There's no secret you've got to get pucks on net and he went to the right area there and got rewarded. You could just feel (a boost) on the bench. Our energy went right up as soon as he scored and the rest of the game we were pretty solid."
• The Coyotes have won nine of their past 11 home games. Playing in Glendale served as medicine after a 0-3-1 road trip vs. Eastern Conference teams.
"We needed a response," Kuemper said. "Obviously (we) dug a little bit of a hole on the road. We were playing good, just didn't get the results, so we knew we just had to stick with it."

Cousins agreed.
"It wasn't the prettiest of games for the fans, maybe," Cousins said. "But this time of year, you're not going to find too many high-scoring games. That's what you saw tonight. You get one power-play goal and score and that's the game, right? That's what it's going to take at this time of year."
• The Coyotes delivered 43 hits, their second-highest total of the season. Jason Demers, Alex Galchenyuk and Alex Goligoski led the way with five hits apiece.
"I thought we had some good hits tonight," Tocchet said. "We've got to start hitting a little bit more."
• Brad Richardson won 11 of 19 face-offs as the Coyotes captured 57 percent of the draws. Over the past seven games, he's won 75 of 120 draws (62.5 percent).