In Tempe, the Coyotes and St Louis Blues got themselves into a track meet on Wednesday night. 
Nick Leddy and Alexey Toropchenko scored shorthanded goals, 33 seconds apart, to help the Blues overcome an Arizona push in a 6-5 decision.
Jordan Binnington got the start for the Blues, but was given the hook after surrendering five goals, and making eight saves.
Joel Hofer made 12 saved in relief.
The Blues improved to 10-7-1.
Kevin Hayes hit for the game-winner at 4:13 of the third period, after the Blues trailed 5-4 in the middle frame.
“I don’t think either team entered into tonight’s game thinking that was going to be the outcome. A lot of goals went in, in crazy ways,” Hayes said. “I felt like every shot there for a little bit was going in.”
The Blues took a 1-0 lead in the first period on a strike by Brayden Schenn, at 8:47.
The Coyotes replied with a goal from Nick Bjugstad at 10:40.
The teams went back and forth most of the night, with the Blues reclaiming the lead on a marker from Colton Parayko at 12:15 of the first.
Arizona tied it, 2-2, on a strike Jason Zucker at 18:06 o.
Arizona dropped to 8-9-2.
“It was a poor defensive effort, a bunch of bad decisions. Score five goals, should be an easy win,” Arizona coach Andre Tourigny said. “That’s not the first time [for a defensive breakdown this season], but that’s really disappointing.”
The Coyotes took a 3-2 lead in the middle frame on a strike by Lawson Crouse with 22 seconds gone in the period.
Leddy and Toropchenko then scored their shorthanded strikes at 3:40 and 4:13 for a 4-3 lead to the Blues.
“We want to stay aggressive on the penalty kill and do things the right way, and we got rewarded for doing things right,” Toropchenko said.
Arizona replied in the to-and-fro with a pair of markers for a 5-4 advantage.
“There were a lot of momentum swings. I think we battled through adversity, which is good,” St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. “We didn’t score on a 5-on-3 [in the third period], but we didn’t break. We stayed with it.”
Michael Carcone scored at 6:56 to tie the game, 4-4, and Nick Schmaltz hit with eight minutes gone in the frame for a 5-4 lead.
“These are games we feel like we should win. … Offensively we produced, but I’m disappointed for everyone in the room,” Bjugstad said. “That one hurts.”
The Coyotes could not hold the lead, again, as the Blues responded with a strike by Robert Thomas at 10:49 for a 5-5 tie headed to the third.
Karel Vejmelka got the start and made yielded four goals and made seven saves before the getting the hook.
Connor Ingram made 18 saves in relief.


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