Blackhawks Edge Coyotes, 2-1
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Brad Richards scored a tiebreaking power-play goal with 7:11 left in the third period to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 2-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night.
Richards scored near the end of the advantage, putting in a rebound of Kris Versteeg's blocked shot. It was the 900th NHL point for Richards, who entered in ninth place among active players.
The Blackhawks had seven power plays and converted two of them, including Andrew Shaw's first-period goal. Corey Crawford made 17 saves in the win, and Arizona's Mike Smith stopped 43 shots.
The Coyotes had a power play for the last 38.5 seconds of the game, and made it a 6-on-4 skating advantage after pulling Smith, but couldn't force overtime. Tobias Rieder had given Arizona a 1-0 lead early in the first period.
The playoff-bound Blackhawks have earned at least one point in six of their last seven games. Arizona has lost 12 of 13.
The Coyotes, to the dismay of a huge crowd of vociferous Blackhawks fans, opened the scoring when Rieder scored from the right wing 4:53 in.
Rieder scored his 11th goal of the season, the most by a Coyotes rookie since Mikkel Boedker had 11 during the 2008-09 season.
That was one of just six first-period shots for the Coyotes.
The Blackhawks tied it on Shaw's power play goal at 8:10. That ended a run of 11 straight penalty kills over three games for Arizona.
Chicago had gone five games without a power play goal until Shaw scored. The Blackhawks got another power play at 11:12 of the first when Smith punched Versteeg, after Versteeg was knocked into Smith in the crease by Arizona's Mark Arcobello.
Smith was given a penalty for roughing, and the Blackhawks came close to a goal twice during the advantage but were rebuffed.
The Blackhawks peppered Smith with shots in the second period, too, but couldn't capitalize even with Smith out of the net around the 9-minute mark of the frame.
Crawford didn't face as many shots, but made a number of impressive saves in his first game against the Coyotes this season. The teams split their previous two meetings.
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