Coyotes top Oilers, 3-2, in OT

In Edmonton, the Oilers got caught looking past the Arizona Coyotes on Friday night.

“I think the guys are a very focused group, a mature group wanting to win as many games as possible,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “And there is a possibility of finishing first in our division, whether that gives us the benefit of having home ice much longer.

“But I think guys are focused on wanting to play the right way and doing well.”

The result was a 3-2 loss in extra time.

Matias Maccelli scored 95 seconds into the extra session for the win.

he scored form the left circle on a wrister.

The Oilers, despite losing, clinched home ice in the first round with the loser’s point.

“They scored in overtime and we didn’t,” the Oilers’ Evander Kane said. “We had some good looks where we probably could have had a couple more, but we didn’t get the job done on that front and they scored in overtime.

“I think we were a little off early on but we got better, especially in the second period, and tied it early in the third. We had a lot of good looks but weren’t able to find that third goal.”

Karel Vejmelka made 37 saves in the win.

The Coyotes moved to 35-40-5 off their fourth win in the past five matches.

“I think we were tuned in. The game in Vancouver was a little more emotional, to be honest,” Arizona coach Andre Tourigny said. “I think today we were a little more composed and under control.

“I think we played rock solid, they had a push and I think we held on, our goalie made some good saves. I think we battled. The guys are unbelievable because they kept their focus.”

Arizona grabbed a 1-0 lead on a marker form Josh Doan, his fourth, at 5:20 of the opening stanza, scoring off a rebound.

The Oilers dropped to 48-24-6, snapping a three-game win streak.

The Oilers replied with a strike by Adam Henrique at 1:49 of the middle frame to tie the game, 1-1.

“These games can kind of at times go under the radar as everybody talks about tomorrow,” Henrique said. “I thought we did a good job of focusing on what we needed to do, but we didn’t have the best start.

“I thought we battled and had opportunities, but we couldn’t find a way to get that next one to give us that extra momentum.”

The Coyotes reclaimed the lead on a goal by Logan Cooley at 5:37 of the second. He also scored off a rebound for the 2-1 advantage.

“They’re a young team with a lot of guys trying to establish themselves in the League,” Kane said of the Coyotes. “And when you have a lot of players like that, they don’t really care where they are in the standings or how many games are left, they’re looking to bring their best every night, playing with nothing to lose.”

Edmonton responded with a goal by Darnell Nurse at 1:12 of the third period, tying the game, 2-2, and forcing the extra session.