In Glendale, the Coyotes took a 4-0 lead on Saturday over the Ottawa Senators, and then sat back and watched the Sens reply with five straight goals.
Arizona answered back with four goals to close the game in an 5-8 win.
Arizona’s Nick Schmaltz hit for a double and kicked in five assists in the win.
“Sometimes such a game happens in a blowout, you know what I mean?” Arizona coach Andre Tourigny said. “But he came back big after we came back to tie the game.”
Scott Wedgewood made 41 saves in the Coyotes win.
“It was one of those nights where everything was kind of coming my way and everything was going in,” Schmaltz said. “So it was pretty special. But obviously that doesn’t happen very often.”
Clayton Keller struck for a pair of goals Arizona, and Shayne Gostisbehere added a single marker.
The Coyotes moved 16-35-4.
Ottawa’s Parker Kelly posted a double in the loss.
“We gave up way too much … that’s what happens when you’re chasing the game,” Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said. “You’re going all in on offense when you’re down and you’re not getting back (on defense).”
The Senators dropped to 19-30-5.
Nick Paul capped the Ottawa rally with a goal in the third period for a 5-4 lead.
Keller tied the game, 5-5, and Lawson Crouse put the Coyotes back up, 6-5.
“We got back to getting pucks behind them and creating turnovers off our forecheck and making plays, and we were able to pot a few there in the third period,” Schmaltz said.
Gostisbehere made pushed the lead to 7-5, and Dysin Mayo made it 8-5.
“Not the start we wanted, we were a little flat, but for us battle back and put five in the back of the net and have the lead early in the third, obviously that game stings a lot, that’s for sure,” Ottawa’s Thomas Chabot said.
Josh Norris and Alex Formenton added strikes for Ottawa.
“There were a lot of highs and lows, it was a fun game to play in, but in the end we’re all disappointed,” Kelly said.
Matias Maccelli scored his first career NHL goal for Arizona.
“There was a rebound right in front of the net and I saw the five-hole was open, and I tried to go backhand and it went in,” Maccelli said.
Matt Murray made 23 saves in the Sens loss.
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