Coyotes strike for 5 goals in first period, thump Capitals

The Arizona Coyotes erupted for five goals in the first period and cruised to a 6-0 win over the Washington Capitals on Monday night in Tempe, Ariz.

Nick Schmaltz scored twice to extend his goal streak to three games for the Coyotes, who have won five straight. Alex Kerfoot and Clayton Keller each had three assists, and Connor Ingram made 26 saves for his second shutout of the season.

Jason Zucker had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes, and Michael Carcone extended his home goal streak to five games (six goals).

Arizona has allowed a total of five goals during its winning streak.

Former Coyote Darcy Kuemper allowed three goals on five shots before being lifted in the first period. Charlie Lindgren stopped 19 of 22 shots for the Capitals, who finished 2-3 on their five-game road trip.

Logan Cooley gave the Coyotes a 1-0 lead at 8:46 of the first period when he tipped in a cross-ice pass from Keller on a power play.

Carcone made it 2-0 at 10:02 when he beat Kuemper with a wrist shot from the high slot on the rush.

Schmaltz increased the lead to 3-0 at 14:15, scoring on a one-timer from the right circle off a pass from Keller on a power play.

Schmaltz struck again at 17:13, scoring through a screen on a wrist shot from the high slot to make it 4-0.

Zucker made it 5-0 at 18:39. After Washington turned the puck over in its own end, Kerfoot fed Zucker alone in front and he deked around Lindgren's pad and slid the puck home.

The Coyotes increased the lead to 6-0 with a short-handed goal at 16:54 of the second period. An outlet pass from J.J. Moser sent Nick Bjugstad and Kerfoot in on a two-on-zero rush and the pair exchanged passes until Bjugstad tapped the puck home.

Washington played without veteran forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, who was a healthy scratch for the first time this season.

—Field Level Media