Duclair worth the cost to Arizona Coyotes in NHL’s early goings

Arizona traded team stalwart Keith Yandle in the summer to the New York Rangers for Anthony Duclair, who notched a rewarding hat-trick in a win on Wednesday.

Arizona Coyotes left wing Anthony Duclair controls the puck against the Anaheim Ducks in an NHL victory on Wednesday night. Christine Cotter / AP / October 14, 2015

The Arizona Coyotes traded one of their most most popular and enduring players to get Anthony Duclair, whose first season with them is getting off to a rollicking start.

Duclair scored the game’s first two goals en route to his first career hat trick, leading the Coyotes to a 4-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night.

“He had a solid training camp, but the great thing about him is that he’s gotten better and better,” coach Dave Tippett said. “For young guys, there’s lots to learn in camp and lots to take in, and I really give him credit. His biggest strengths are speed and skill. And on all of his goals tonight, he shot the puck quick.”

Duclair, who had only one goal in 20 previous NHL games, completed his hat trick on a short wrist shot with 9:03 left in the second period. The 20-year-old left wing was acquired last March in a multiplayer deal that sent defenceman Keith Yandle to the New York Rangers.

“Getting traded was a bit of a shock,” Duclair said. “When you’re a young guy and sort of a prospect, you don’t expect to get traded. I guess that comes with the business of hockey, but after that I was excited. I talked to (general manager) Don Maloney, and came to the rookie camp and just felt a great vibe here.

“Obviously, getting traded for a guy like Keith obviously comes with some pressure,” Duclair added. “But by no means am I trying to replace him. I just come to the rink and work as hard as I can every day. We have a special group in this locker room, and that makes it that much more fun.”

Mike Smith made 37 saves for his 28th career shutout, rookie Max Domi had a goal and an assist and Martin Hanzal had three assists for the Coyotes, who are off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2003/04. Last season they lost 50 games for the only time since the franchise relocated from Winnipeg to Arizona for the 1996/97 campaign.

“We’ve got a good balance of speed and skill, we’re scoring some goals, we’re defending hard and playing the right way. And it’s paying off for us,” Tippett said.

Smith, whose shutout was his first since March 4, 2014, has stopped 104 of the 106 shots he’s faced in his first three starts. The 10-year veteran had a league-worst 42 losses last season while giving up a league-worst 147 goals and finishing with a 90.4 save percentage.

The Ducks, who have won three straight Pacific Division titles and finished with the best record in the Western Conference in each of the past two seasons, are winless in their first three games following a 2-0 defeat at the San Jose Sharks and a 2-1 shootout loss at the Vancouver Canucks in the home opener.

The Ducks had gone 8-0-2 against the Coyotes since a 5-3 loss in the 2012/13 regular-season finale.

“We didn’t win the battles,” Ducka coach Bruce Boudreau said. “When you go into the corners and you don’t come up with the puck, it’s because the will of the other team is greater than your will. And we’re not used to that being the case. So it’s back to the drawing board and seeing why those things aren’t working.”

Anton Khudobin, playing for his fourth NHL team in seven seasons, made his Ducks debut and gave up three goals on eight shots. He was replaced by Frederik Andersen following Domi’s goal at 12:53 of the opening period.

The Coyotes began their early barrage when Hanzal won a faceoff deep in the Anaheim zone and Duclair beat Khudobin with a 35-foot shot from the slot at 3:16 of the first.

“We want to play fast and physical, especially in a road game. That was the key early on tonight,” Duclair said. “I give credit to my linemates and the rest of my teammates for doing a good job of making some space for me and making it much easier.”

Ducks forward Carl Hagelin was sent off for slashing Oliver Ekman-Larsson at 10:04 of the period, and Duclair poked the puck under Khudobin’s leg during the ensuing power play.

Domi, the 12th overall pick in the 2013 draft, made it 3-0 about three minutes later. He beat Khudobin high to the glove side with a 25-foot backhander after getting a drop pass from Mikkel Boedker.

Elsewhere in the NHL

Philadelphia Flyers 3, Chicago Blackhawks 0

Michal Neuvirth stopped 30 shots in his second straight shutout, leading the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night.

Sam Gagner, Claude Giroux and Matt Read scored to lead the Flyers to their 12th straight regular-season home victory over Chicago. The Flyers have not lost to the Blackhawks in Philly during the regular season since November 9, 1996.

The Blackhawks beat the Flyers in the 2010 Stanley Cup Final and clinched with a Game 6 win in Philly.

Filling in for Steve Mason, Neuvirth was sensational in his ninth career shutout. Mason missed a second straight game because of unspecified family reasons and there was no word when he would return.

Boston Bruins 6, Colorado Avalanche 2

Jimmy Hayes had a goal and three assists, Jonas Gustavsson stopped 20 shots and Boston avoided their worst start in more than 50 years.

The Bruins raced out to a 5-0 lead by the second period and cruised from there to end a three-game slide.

Kevan Miller and Hayes scored 2:22 apart in the first period, with Tyler Randell, Chris Kelly and Ryan Spooner scoring in the second. Spooner’s goal with 4:28 remaining in the second ended a rough evening for Semyon Varlamov, who stopped 14 of 19 shots before being relieved by Reto Berra.

David Krejci added an empty-net goal with 1:29 left.

Gabriel Landeskog had a power-play goal and John Mitchell added another for Colorado.

Ottawa Senators 7, Columbus Blue Jackets 3

Bobby Ryan and Mika Zibanejad each had a goal and two assists, Erik Karlsson added a career-high four assists, and Ottawa improved to 3-0-0 on the road for the first time since the start of the 2007/08 season.

Kyle Turris had a goal and an assist, and Marc Methot, Milan Michalek, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Mike Hoffman also scored for the Senators. Mark Stone had two assists and Craig Anderson made 37 saves.

Brandon Saad, Boone Jenner and Brandon Dubinsky scored for Columbus and Ryan Johansen had two assists. The Blue Jackets have dropped their first four games in regulation for the first time in the franchise’s 15-year history.

Former Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky came in with a 4.65 goals-against-average and was shaky from the start, finishing with just 21 saves.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE