Recap: Kuemper Leads Coyotes to Win Over Flames

GLENDALE --Needing a win to keep pace with other teams in the mad dash for the post-season, the Coyotes got one Thursday night over the Western Conference's top team.

Darcy Kuemper made 30 saves to lead Arizona to a 2-0 victory over the high-scoring Calgary Flames, who suddenly can't score during a four-game losing streak.
"I like that we stuck to the game plan," Head Coach Rick Tocchet said. "... I felt we had more guys invested in what we were trying to do. I don't think there were any passengers, everybody worked hard tonight, and they played for each other ... This team's a hell of a team, Calgary, and they're going to make some noise ... They've got a lot of players that can play, and I thought we did a nice job."

Clayton Keller and Jakob Chychrun scored goals for the Coyotes, who rebounded nicely after a humbling home loss to Anaheim in their previous game.
"The message was we didn't play great, but we've done a lot of good things and let's stay even keel," Kuemper said of the team's mind-set after the loss to the Ducks. "We didn't get too down about it, everyone reset and you could see the effort tonight. Everyone was ready to work."

Arizona blocked 27 shots, delivered 39 hits and won 51 percent of the face-offs vs. Calgary in a game it needed to win after Dallas and Minnesota, the teams currently holding the conference's two wildcard spots, won earlier in the night. The Coyotes trail those teams by four and three points, respectively.
• The Coyotes created an early boost of momentum when they killed a tripping penalty called on Kuemper within the game's first four minutes.
"Our kill has really paid off for us," Chychrun said. "It's kept us in games, it's won us games. It's something when you can rely on that to get a big kill, it can really get big momentum on your side, and that was a big case there in the start of the game, a few other times throughout the game and at crucial moments. We have some good killers on this team and they stepped up tonight."

Keller scored his goal at 10:16 of the first period when he beat Flames goalie Mike Smith with a one-timer to cap a two-on-one rush with Christian Dvorak, who notched his first point of the season with a nifty assist. The goal was Keller's first since Feb. 24 and just his second since Jan. 20.
"It's funny because he called me yesterday and wanted to watch video," Tocchet said. "So, we watched film and had a good talk. He was determined tonight. That's the 'Kells' we all love. He just played a determined game."

Chychrun gave the Coyotes a 2-0 lead when he beat Smith with a shot from the top of the left circle at 2:49 of the third period.
"They've kind of had our number and we knew that going in tonight," Chychrun said of the Flames, who entered the game 3-0-0 vs. the Coyotes. "We kind of owed them one. Yeah, it's nice to put together a complete game there and not have any breakdowns for a few minutes of the game and blow things up."

Trailing 2-0, Calgary pulled Smith for an extra attacker with 4:35 to play after a TV stoppage, but the Flames managed just two shots on goal.
"I guess with the timeout they thought they could draw something up and maybe catch us by surprise," Kuemper said. "But the guys did a great job defending."
• Kuemper, who didn't play in Arizona's three losses to Calgary this season before Thursday night, notched his third shutout of the season and the 14th of his NHL career. He also improved his record to 16-4-3 since New Year's Day.
"He's been unbelievable," Chychrun said. "He's a guy that makes it look so easy in that net. He's always so calm. He's just a calming presence back there. He's going to make the saves he should make, and I think that's something that's nice to rely on."
• Michael Grabner skated 17:40, took five shots on goal and delivered three hits in his first game in the lineup after suffering a serious eye injury vs. St. Louis on Dec. 1.
"It was a lot of fun," Grabner said. "It's been a while. I was sick of skating by myself out there, so it was nice to get back out there and play a meaningful game. (My vision) is a little bit different than it used to be, but I just tried to keep it simple out there."

• Stats that jump off the Event Summary: Lawson Crouse delivered six hits, Jason Demers blocked six shots, and Dvorak won nine of 15 face-offs.
• The Coyotes wore special warm-up sweaters to salute first responders as part of the team's charity broadcast to raise money for the 100 Club of Arizona, which provides financial assistance to families of first responders who are seriously injured or killed in the line of duty and provides resources to enhance their safety and welfare. The sweaters were later auctioned.