Coyotes close out 28-year tenure in Arizona with 5-2 win over Oilers
The Coyotes closed out their 28-year Arizona tenure as winners, getting a goal and an assist from Dylan Guenther in a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night.
The Coyotes buzzed early at Mullett Arena and closed strong in their final game before moving to Salt Lake City.
Liam O'Brien got the finale started with a goal less than three minutes in and Sean Durzi capped it with a empty-net goal to send Coyotes fans home happy — at least for one last night. Matias Maccelli and Lawson Crouse also scored, and Connor Ingram had 25 saves for Arizona.
“This is the last one in Arizona for a little bit and we wanted to have a good effort, show that to the fans," Coyotes forward Clayton Keller said.
Sam Carrick and Warren Foegele scored for the playoff-bound Oilers. Calvin Pickard had 16 saves in the first game of a back-to-back to close the regular season for Edmonton.
“You talk about the game, getting ready for an emotional one, they're going to come out hard,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “But we're also looking to the playoffs. We played OK and maybe you win some games like that.”
The Coyotes and their fans spent years hoping relocation rumors wouldn't come through.
Rumor became reality this week when Alex Meruelo agreed to sell franchise's hockey operations to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith, who intends to move the team to Salt Lake City.
The Coyotes franchise could be revived; Meruelo will have the rights to an expansion team if he can build a new arena within five years.
That made Wednesday night's game a finale one way or another and the fans treated it like one big party, creating a buzz unlike any during the Coyotes' two years at Mullett Arena.
The Coyotes felt the energy and fed off it, opening with some big hits and a goal by O'Brien 2:18 in, sending the roaring crowd to their feet.
“There were a lot of emotions and there was a lot of sadness,” Coyotes coach André Tourigny said. “We've gone through a bit of adversity and I'm really proud the way the players responded.”
The Oilers killed the buzz by turning up the pressure and tying it on Carrick's redirected goal midway through the first period.
Ingram made some difficult saves and Maccelli got the party rolling again by scoring on a breakaway late in the second period, setting off a roar that was followed by a chant of “Salt Lake sucks!”
Crouse made it 3-1 by flipping a backhander past Pickard early in the third period, but Foegele tied it with a shot from the slot that beat Ingram to the glove side.
Guenther pushed it back to a two-goal lead and Durzi capped the festive desert finale after Edmonton pulled Pickard for an extra attacker.
“We knew what we were going to get in terms of them being fired up, playing in front of their fans tonight,” Pickard said. “It wasn't a great start, but we kind of bounced back.”
Correction
This story has been updated to correct the number of years the Coyotes played at Mullett Arena to two instead of three.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's 'most wanted terrorist' arrested on gun charges in Canada
One of India's most wanted terrorists has been arrested and charged in connection with a recent alleged shooting in Ontario.
12-year-old boy charged in stabbing of 11-year-old boy at Edmonton McDonald's
The boy stabbed at a north Edmonton McDonald's last Friday is 11 years old.
What makes walking so great for your health and what else you need to do
Medical experts agree that walking is an easy way to improve physical and mental health, bolster fitness and prevent disease. While it’s not the only sort of exercise people should do, it’s a great first step toward a healthy life.
U.S. Congress hosts second round of UFO hearings
The U.S. government held another UFO hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, the second such hearing in 16 months. This hearing was billed as an attempt by congress to provide a better understanding of what is known about previous sightings of UFOs, also known as UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena).
Toronto teenager charged with first-degree murder in Kitchener, Ont. homicide
A Toronto teen has been charged as part of an investigation into Kitchener, Ont.’s first homicide of 2024.
Spy service officer denies threatening Montreal man who was later imprisoned in Sudan
A Canadian Security Intelligence Service official has denied threatening a Montreal man who was later imprisoned and allegedly tortured by authorities in Sudan.
Donald Trump picks Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he will nominate Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as his attorney general, putting a loyalist in the role of the nation's top prosecutor.
This Canadian airline will adopt Apple's new AirTag feature to help recover lost baggage. Here's how
Apple announced that a new feature, 'Share Item Location,' will help users locate and recover misplaced items by sharing an AirTag location with third parties including airlines.
Canada bracing for 'tough' talks as Trump's pick calls northern border an 'extreme vulnerability'
The Canadian government is aware it's likely in for 'tough conversations' with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's administration, after his border czar said there is 'an extreme national security vulnerability' he intends to tackle at the Canada-U.S. border.