The Chicago Blackhawks entered Tuesday 0-22 in their last 22 games away from their home on Madison in Chicago, but Tuesday was a different story.
Connor Bedard, Nick Foligno, Tyler Johnson and Seth Jones all had multi-point nights.
The Arizona Coyotes were bit by penalties in Tuesday night’s affair, and it shows in the end result.
A bench minor, a goaltending interference call that was trivial at best, a delay of game, and a tripping minor all cost the Coyotes goals on opportunities the Blackhawks capitalized on cycling the puck and out-manning the Coyotes.
The Coyotes were bumped to the power play early when Kevin Korchinski was sentenced to two in the box for hooking at 15:10 of the first period, but the Coyotes came up shorthanded on special teams for the first time on the night.
Less than four minutes later, Barrett Hayton was charging the crease, losing his footing and crashing into Arvid Söderblom for the Coyotes first penalty of the game, goaltender interference at 11:01
Less than :40 later, the Coyotes were called for too many men on the ice, and the Blackhawks went to work on a 5-on-3 opportunity.
Jones scored his first goal of the night on the power play when Troy Stecher got a stick on a slap shot that found it’s way into the net. Bedard landed a pass on Jones’ tape at the top of the far side circle, for Bedard’s first assist of the night and his 25th assist on the season. Tyler Johnson was credited the secondary assist, his seventh on the season, and the Blackhawks grabbed the lead 1-0.
Foligno served :15 of a tripping minor on Alex Kerfoot before the period’s end.
The first period ended 1-0 Blackhawks, but the Coyotes lead in shots 17-12.
The Coyotes began the second period on a power play, as the remaining 1:45 of Foligno’s tripping minor had yet to be served.
The Blackhawks special teams continued their hot streak, as the penalty was killed off.
Nick Bjugstad grabbed his 14th goal of the game 2:07 into the second period, as Matt Dumba found Bjugstad in the middle of the faceoff circle, before Bjugstad tied it at 1.
Liam O’Brien was called for tripping Isaak Phillips less than :48 seconds later, and the Hawks headed to their third power play of the night at 17:05 remaining in the period.
Foligno grabbed his 15th goal of the season on the power play when Bedard found Foligno right in front of the net after Johnson moved the puck to Bedard’s stick, their 26th and eighth assists of the season, second of the night, 2-1 Blackhawks.
It took the Coyotes another nine minutes to score their second and last goal of the night.
Michael Carcone scored his 17th goal of the season after a fortuitous bounce in the wide-open crease, while Söderblom was out of position, 2-2.
JJ Moser added to the penalty laundry list when he was assessed a 2:00 minor for delay of game after sending a puck over the glass.
Jason Dickinson found his 18th of the year from in front of Connor Ingram in after winning a faceoff against Bjugstad. Korchinski and Alex Vlasic added to Dickinson’s power play goal with assists, 3-2 Blackhawks.
Phillip Kurashev, earning first line minutes with Bedard and Foligno, received a forwarding pass from Foligno, sent by Tyler Johnson, scored his 11th of the season, 4-2 Blackhawks.
The remainder of the second period ticked off with no events, as the Coyotes took the lead in shots, once again, into the locker room 33-25.
No goals were scored in 5-on-5 play by either side in the third period, and Jones notched his second of the night, an empty netter with :33 seconds to play, 5-2 Blackhawks.
The Blackhawks snapped a seven game losing skid, and the Coyotes two game winning streak.
The Coyotes see the Minnesota Wild in game one of a back-to-back on Thursday, and then the Detroit Red Wings to wrap the week on Friday.
The Blackhawks move onto the Nation’s capital for a battle with the Capitals on Saturday.
