{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Hockey League
Arizona 6, Columbus 2
When: 10:00 PM ET, Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Where: Mullett Arena, Tempe, Arizona
Referees: Garrett Rank, Chris Schlenker
Linesmen: Tommy Hughes, Ben O'Quinn
Attendance: 4600

Josh Doan scored two goals in his NHL debut to lead the Arizona Coyotes to a 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday in Tempe, Ariz.

The son of longtime Coyotes captain Shane Doan, the younger Doan became the first player in Arizona franchise history to score multiple goals in his first career game.

Josh Doan knocked a loose puck out of the air at 16:33 of the second period for his first goal, which temporarily gave Arizona (30-37-5, 65 points) a 2-1 lead. He then delivered the game-winner at 11:32 of the third period, tipping in Matias Maccelli's shot.

Maccelli and Nick Schmaltz each had a goal and an assist, and Sean Durzi had two assists for the Coyotes. Nick Bjugstad and Dylan Guenther scored Arizona's other goals.

Clayton Keller had a five-game goal-scoring streak come to an end, but the forward still collected an assist. Keller leads the Coyotes with 63 points (30 goals, 33 assists) this season.

Karel Vejmelka stopped 25 of 27 shots for the Coyotes, who are 4-2-0 in their past six games.

The Blue Jackets (23-37-12, 58 points) are 1-6-2 in their past nine games and are winless (0-4-1) in their past five.

Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins stopped 29 of 35 shots.

Zach Werenski and Boone Jenner each had a power-play goal and an assist, and Johnny Gaudreau had two assists for the Blue Jackets.

The Blue Jackets were 2-for-4 on the power play on Tuesday, but they also allowed short-handed goals to Schmaltz and Guenther late in the third period.

Jenner's goal at 11:45 of the first period was the game's only tally until the Coyotes finally solved Merzlikins on Maccelli's power-play marker 14:55 into the second period.

After Josh Doan put Arizona ahead, Werenski leveled the score again with a power-play goal with only 39 seconds left before the second intermission.

Josh Doan's game-winner opened the floodgates for the Coyotes, serving as the first of four unanswered scores in the third period. Bjugstad extended the lead at the 14:49 mark before Schmaltz and Guenther put the game away with their short-handed goals.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Columbus   Arizona
Boone Jenner 2 Points Josh Doan 2
Boone Jenner 1 Goals Josh Doan 2
Johnny Gaudreau 2 Assists Sean Durzi 2
Boone Jenner 1 Power Play Goals Matias Maccelli 1
N/A Short Handed Goals Dylan Guenther 1
Elvis Merzlikins .829 Save Percentage Karel Vejmelka .926
Elvis Merzlikins 29 Saves Karel Vejmelka 25
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Columbus 27 2 2-4 1-2 19 35
Arizona 35 6 1-2 2-4 23 19
Upcoming Games
  • Arizona will play their next game at home against Nashville. The Coyotes have a W/L % of .433 after a win and .405 after a loss.
  • Columbus will play their next game on the road against Pittsburgh. The Blue Jackets have a W/L % of .125 after a win and .417 after a loss.