The Arizona Coyotes have been playing better hockey but they need to learn to hold a lead now.
On Monday night, the Coyotes held a 2-0 lead before Devante Smith-Pelly and Alex Ovechkin scored for the Washington Capitals to force extra time.
The Caps won the game on a John Carlson goal with under a minute left in the extra session; Washington improved to 8-6-1.
“We’re just kind of finding our way and figuring out what’s working for us,” Carlson said. “We’ve got to put a couple of these together. We didn’t start like we wanted to, so we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Braden Holtby made 24 saves to get the win.
Arizona had built a 2-0 first period lead on goals from Clayton Keller and Christian Fischer.
“We came out hot and that was awesome being on the road and we put them on their heels,” Coyotes goalie Scott Wedgewood said. “[Two goals on two shots], you can’t ask for a better start. Then, give them credit, they found a way to get back in the game and kept battling.”
The Coyotes dropped to 2-10-2 on the season but are 2-2-1 in their last five, far more respectable.
[WATCH: All Coyotes vs. Capitals highlights]
Wedgewood made 37 saves in the loss.
“There’s some stuff that we’re a young team, we have to learn,” Arizona head coach Rich Tocchet said. “Sometimes when you’re tired, it’s like my old buddy (Pittsburgh Penguins coach) Mike Sullivan said, ‘You can’t be tired.’ In these situations, you can’t be tired. You can’t give. Winners don’t give.”
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