'Yotes Notes: Fischer Scores Goal in NHL Debut

GLENDALE - Coyotes rookie Christian Fischer scored his first goal on his first shot in his NHL debut on Saturday night at Gila River Arena.
Fischer, 19, beat Lightning goalie Ben Bishop with a shot from near the right post at 16:25 of the second period to give Arizona a 4-1 lead. The Coyotes won, 5-3, so Fischer's tap-in goal turned out to be the game-winning goal.

"It's nice to get that one under the belt," Fischer said. "That's my game, just getting to the net ... I didn't think about scoring today, I just thought about playing. When I saw it go in, I was just filled with emotion."
Fischer is the 11th Coyotes player to score a goal in his NHL debut.
The Coyotes selected Fischer 32nd overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, and recalled him from the American Hockey League on Friday. While playing in the AHL this season, Fischer notched 16 goals and 16 assists in 31 games.
Fischer's parents flew to Arizona from Chicago on Friday and were at Gila River Arena to witness their youngest child's first NHL game and goal.
Fischer played 10:57, including 1:33 of penalty killing, and delivered one hit.
"It's nice to put up the goals but I take a lot of pride in ... playing that full team game, that full 200-foot game," Fischer said. "... As the game went on, I felt more and more comfortable. Obviously first period, jitters are always an issue. Maybe gripping your stick a little tight, but to get my first one out of the way and to get more comfortable as the game went on, I think it just grows my confidence and I'm excited to see where it can take me."

Fischer played right wing on a line with center Alexander Burmistrov and left wing Jamie McGinn. Both assisted on his goal.
"Burmistrov came in the zone and made an unbelievable pass, and McGinn made an unbelievable little back-hand toe drag little pass to me and all I had to do was just tap that in," Fischer said. "So credit goes to those guys, they made it pretty easy for me."

Head Coach Dave Tippett liked what he saw from Fischer.
"How he scored that goal - it's a special goal for him, special for him the way it happens on his first shot in the NHL - but you're going to see a lot of goals over his career just like that, going hard to the net," Tippett said. "His skating has really improved. That was the one area he knows he has to work at, but it didn't seem like it was a detriment at all tonight."

• Goalie Mike Smith stopped 45 of 48 shots to raise his record to 5-0-2 in the seven games he has faced 40-plus shots this season.
• Defenseman Michael Stone scored his first goal of the season at 14:56 of the second period. Stone's goal, scored during a power play, gave Arizona a 3-1 lead.
• Arizona's top line of Tobias Rieder (one goal, two assists), Martin Hanzal (one goal, two assists) and Radim Vrbata (one goal, three assists) combined for 10 points.
"We moved the puck well," Vrbata said. "We supported it. We made those little plays where you can keep your speed. That way it looks like you're moving fast. It's fun to play this way because you're on the puck. You don't have to chase it. You don't have to go on the forecheck, so we moved it well and we supported it well."

• Forward Jordan Martinook did not play because he aggravated a previous upper-body injury. He is considered day-to-day.
"We'll give him a couple days here to see if we can get him better," Tippett said.
• Forward Max Domi, who is recovering from hand surgery, volunteered to answer phone calls and take donations during the team's in-game telethon to raise funds for Phoenix Children's Hospital.
The telethon raised $57,184.