Hill gets first NHL shutout for Coyotes against Predators

NASHVILLE -- Adin Hill made 29 saves to get his first NHL shutout for the Arizona Coyotes in a 3-0 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday.

Hill, who made his first start of the season, has saved all 35 shots he's faced this season. Arizona goalies Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper are each out with a lower-body injury.
"It was exciting finding out I was starting here in Nashville," Hill said. "Electric crowd here, a great hockey city. The team had a wonderful game. It was awesome. We all dedicated ourselves to the game. The defensemen] did a good job boxing guys out, clearing pucks when we had to, and the penalty kill did an outstanding job. It was an exciting game, an exciting win."
***[WATCH: [All Coyotes vs. Predators highlights]*
Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz and Brad Richardson scored for the Coyotes (11-11-2), who have won two straight. Oliver Ekman-Larsson had an assist in his 600th NHL game.
"For most of the game, I thought we did a nice job of puck management," Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said. "We executed the game plan. Against Nashville, you've got to really play a certain way because they've got some weapons over there, so I thought we did a nice job of putting pucks in areas and some chips. I thought it was one of our better games supporting the puck. It seemed like when a guy had the puck, he had an option. We didn't have guys playing too wide. I thought we had good support all over the ice."

Pekka Rinne made 22 saves for the Predators (17-8-1), who have lost two straight and three of their past four.
"They were faster than us," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "They wanted it more. We didn't have enough guys with their hands on the rope pulling it our way. So that's what we got."
Keller gave the Coyotes a 1-0 lead at 1:40 of the second period, receiving a pass from Schmaltz and beating Rinne blocker side from the edge of the left circle.
Schmaltz, who was acquired in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 25, scored his first goal with Arizona to make it 2-0 at 19:39 on a wrist shot from the right circle on the power play.
"I thought we came out flying," Schmaltz said. "We had some good looks there, and I thought we stuck with it throughout the game and didn't get frustrated. We knew it was going to come at some point. We just kept working and got rewarded."
Richardson extended the lead to 3-0 at 11:23 of the third period on a one-timer from the high slot.

They said it

"I did think of it a little, but it is dangerous territory. You don't want to think of that because that's when mistakes happen. I thought of it a bit toward the end of the third, but I was trying to focus on the whole game and just getting the win." -- Coyotes goaltender Adin Hill on his first NHL shutout
"I didn't like the way we played. It was inconsistent. There wasn't enough attack to the game. We made mistakes, they ended up in our net, and that seemed to get worse as the game went on. We're capable of a better brand of hockey and hold ourselves to a higher standard of hockey, and that's what we have to do." -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette

Need to know

Richardson went 14-for-19 on face-offs (74 percent). … Arizona claimed goaltender Calvin Pickard off of waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. … Nashville defenseman Roman Josi had five shots on goal and 10 shot attempts.

What's next

Coyotes:Host the St. Louis Blues on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; FS-A, FS-MW, NHL.TV)
Predators:Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; FS-TN, WGN, NHL.TV)