In Tempe, the Coyotes topped the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday with a strike by Nick Bjugstad in extra time with 21 seconds left in extra time, in a 4-3 win,
“He (forward Matias Maccelli) gave me the puck and I kind of jammed away and tried to get it on net,” Bjugstad said. “We created scoring chances [on the power play] and kind of wore their [defensemen] down. I don’t know if they got caught out there tired, but we had possession and gained momentum.”
The Coyotes improved to 11-9-2, snapping a three-game skid with the win.
“Our guys are really tuned in the way we played the past three games,” Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. “The urgency we’ve had, the focus level we’ve had has been unbelievable. … I hope it will fuel our confidence.”
Connor Ingram made 28 saves in the win.
Cale Makar scored off the power play with 29 seconds left in the first period to give the Avs a 1-0 lead.
Travis Boyd knotted it at 1-1 at 3:03 of the middle frame.
The Avs dropped to 15-6-1, and had their four-game streak snapped.
“I didn’t think we played our best tonight, so to able to come back in the third after giving up some goals that we didn’t like and squaring it … we almost survived it,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “Would have loved to have two points out of it, but we’ll take the one and learn from it.”
The Avs reclaimed the lead, 2-1, on a marker from Miles Wood at 4:44 of the second period.
The Coyotes replied with two goals for a 3-2 lead.
Nick Schmaltz hit off a power play to tie the game, 2-2, at 16:22.
“I think we all kind of sat around knowing we had to be better, and obviously we were these last three games,” Bjugstad said. “[We’re] finding ways to win, making those high-percentage plays and I think that’s really our focus.”
Michael Carcone used fresh ice in the third to give the Coyotes a 3-2 lead with 68 seconds gone in the frame.
“I think we all kind of sat around knowing we had to be better, and obviously we were these last three games,” Bjugstad said. “[We’re] finding ways to win, making those high-percentage plays and I think that’s really our focus.”
Nathan MacKinnon tied it, 3-3 just past the midway point of then third.
Alexandar Georgiev made 29 saves in the loss.
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