Coyotes Crush Capitals, Earn Historic Fifth Straight Win
Five-Goal First Period Powers Arizona to Victory
Arizona Coyotes 6, Washington Capitals 0
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Nick Schmaltz scored twice during a five-goal first period as the Arizona Coyotes extended their historic winning streak to five games with a dominant 6-0 victory over the Washington Capitals on Monday.
The Coyotes, who have never won more than four consecutive games in franchise history, took advantage of a Capitals team playing its second game in as many nights. Lawson Crouse, Clayton Keller, and Juuso Valimaki also scored in the opening period, chasing Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper after just 13 shots.
Karel Vejmelka made 25 saves for his second shutout of the season as the Coyotes improved to 15-12-3, moving into a tie for second place in the Pacific Division. The Capitals, who won the Stanley Cup in 2018, fell to 12-14-4, extending their losing streak to four games.
The Coyotes' victory marks the first time they have defeated a reigning Stanley Cup champion five consecutive times. The Capitals have been plagued by injuries this season, with star forward Alex Ovechkin and defenseman John Carlson both sidelined. Ovechkin is expected to return to the lineup later this week, but Carlson is out indefinitely.
"It's a great feeling to come out and play the way we did tonight," said Schmaltz. "We knew they were tired, but we still had to come out and execute our game plan. We did that, and it paid off."
The Capitals, who were coming off a 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, had no answer for the Coyotes' early onslaught. The Coyotes scored three goals in less than four minutes to take a commanding 3-0 lead.
"We're just not playing well enough," said Capitals captain Nicklas Backstrom. "We're giving up too many easy chances, and we're not scoring enough goals. We need to find a way to fix it."
The Coyotes' victory is a significant moment in franchise history. The team has struggled for much of its existence, but they are finally starting to show signs of progress. With a young and talented roster, the Coyotes could be a playoff contender this season.
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