Cooley has 2 assists in NHL debut, Coyotes defeat Devils in shootout

NEWARK, N.J. – Logan Cooley had two assists in his NHL debut with the Arizona Coyotes, a 4-3 shootout win against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Friday.

Cooley, the No. 3 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, got his first point on a goal by Sean Durzi in the second period and later set up Nick Schmaltz on a power play to pull the Coyotes into a 3-3 tie with 6:05 left in the third period. Cooley had two shots on goal in 19:02 of ice time.

"I think what I'll remember most is just being on the ice, the solo lap (before pregame warmup) and having my family here," Cooley said. "The first NHL points ... it's pretty special to get that out of the way. Obviously, the most important thing is the team win and the guys welcomed me in so nice. For us to get that win against that New Jersey team was pretty special."

Matt Dumba also scored, Clayton Keller had two assists and Karel Vejmelka made 33 saves for the Coyotes (1-0-0).

"When I stepped on the ice, you're a little bit nervous ... you don't want to fall, you don't want to whiff on a puck," Cooley said. "But once you get that first shift over with, you kind of settle in a little bit and the nerves go away. Then, it's just another hockey game. I thought I managed it pretty well and it was a super fun game."

Jesper Bratt had two goals and an assist, Jack Hughes had three assists and Akira Schmid made 30 saves for the Devils (1-0-1). Dougie Hamilton had a goal and an assist, and Tyler Toffoli had two assists. 

"It's an important point that we lost, and I thought we had some good looks in overtime that we definitely could have ended the game," Bratt said. "In the shootout, we didn't have great details and their goalie played great when we were trying to find areas to score. It's just how it is in shootouts sometimes."

Schmaltz scored a power-play goal on a one-timer from the left face-off circle to tie it 3-3 at 13:55 of the third. Cooley had the primary assist on the play when picked up a loose puck, skated to the slot and fired a backhand pass to setup Schmaltz.

"We believe in him, we know what he can do," Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said of Cooley. "You will see him all the time as a rookie, but we see him as a player for us. He's a member of our team, an important guy on our team and he will grow every game."

Dumba made it 1-0 in his Arizona debut at 6:22 of the first period. The 29-year-old defenseman, who signed a one-year, $3.9 million contract Aug. 7, scored on a wrist shot from the right face-off circle.

Durzi, a defenseman acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings on June 24, pushed the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal at 4:23 of the second period.

"It was a disappointing start to the game," New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff said. "I thought they looked fresher, ready to play in their first game. I thought their energy was really good, and they got a step on us in most places."

Bratt scored a one-timer from the right face-off circle off a 2-on-1 with Hughes to cut it to 2-1 at 8:09 of the second, and Hamilton tied it 2-2 on a slap shot during a 4-on-3 advantage at 12:29.

Bratt scored his second of the game during a 5-on-3 power play for a 3-2 lead at 18:53 before Vejmelka made 11 saves in the third..

Schmaltz and Nick Bjugstad each scored in the shootout, and Vejmelka denied Timo Meier and Bratt.

"I loved our resiliency throughout the game," Cooley said. "We need to stay a little more disciplined (Arizona took six minor penalties), but just how we bounced back in that third period and stayed with it shows you what type of team we have."

NOTES: Cooley became the second player in Coyotes/Winnipeg Jets franchise history with multiple points in his NHL debut as a teenager (Shane Doan; 18 years, 362 days in 1995-96; two assists). Cooley is the first of 14 players in NHL history to have at least one point while making his debut on Friday the 13th. … Jack Hughes became the seventh player in Devils/Colorado Rockies/Kansas City Scouts franchise history to have five points through two games in a season (Greg Adams, 1985-86; Bratt, 2017-18; Patrik Elias, 2005-06; Doug Gilmour, 1996-97; Stephane Richer, 1991-92; Mel Bridgman, 1986-87).