Maple Leafs defeat Coyotes in Keefe’s debut as coach
via NHL.com
The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Arizona Coyotes 3-1 at Gila River Arena on Thursday to give Sheldon Keefe the win in his first game as an NHL coach.
Frederik Andersen made 30 saves, and Pierre Engvall scored his first NHL goal for the Maple Leafs (10-10-4), who ended a six-game winless streak (0-5-1) one day after Mike Babcock was fired as coach in his fifth season with them.
Tyson Barrie and Auston Matthews scored for Toronto, and Ilya Mikheyev had two assists
Vinnie Hinostroza scored late in the third period, and Darcy Kuemper made 29 saves for the Coyotes (13-8-2), who had won two straight games by shutout and four of their previous five games.
Barrie, a defenseman who had 14 goals for the Colorado Avalanche last season, scored his first goal of the season with a wrist shot from the right face-off circle to give the Maple Leafs a 1-0 lead at 19:14 of the first period.
Toronto allowed the first goal in its previous seven games and hadn’t led in regulation in eight games, or since a 3-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Nov. 5.
Engvall, playing in his second NHL game, outraced two Coyotes to the puck in the neutral zone and scored Toronto’s third shorthanded goal of the season to make it 2-0 at 16:49 of the second.
Matthews, who is from Scottsdale, Ariz., scored his first goal in 10 road games 48 seconds into the third to make it 3-0.
Hinostroza scored with 17 seconds remaining for the 3-1 final.
Keefe coached the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League for five seasons, winning the Calder Cup in 2018.
Arizona was 14-3-1 in its previous 18 games against Toronto.
Total team effort lifts Leafs over Coyotes.
Check out tonight's @OntarioLottery Game Winning Numbers. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/HjubmcBZ6g
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 22, 2019
One for the mantel.
Congratulations on your first @NHL goal @EngvallPierre! #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/wPJ9whcrJN
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 22, 2019
First goal feeling 🙌#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/jmawMhk6PJ
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 22, 2019
🤝 Congrats coach!#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/orxsaIjFiw
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 22, 2019
Auston Matthews was so amped pic.twitter.com/dxjKRwAQmP
— Flintor (@TheFlintor) November 22, 2019