Zucker, Coyotes defeat Penguins for 1st time in 12 games

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Jason Zucker had a goal and an assist against his former team, and the Arizona Coyotes ended an 11-game losing streak against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 5-2 win at Mullett Arena on Monday.

Lawson Crouse was credited with a goal when Pittsburgh, trailing 3-2 in the third period, put the puck into its own net on a delayed penalty.

“It’s definitely frustrating. I don't know how many times you're going to see that in your lifetime, it just happens, it’s an honest mistake,” Penguins forward Jake Guentzel said.

Alex Kerfoot scored the go-ahead goal, and Connor Ingram made 25 saves for the Coyotes (23-19-3), who won their second straight.

“I think we played a good 60 minutes, I think we played well all game,” Arizona coach Andre Tourigny said. “There's no part of the game where I said all we lost our game for a minute.”

Sidney Crosby scored his fifth goal in five games, and Tristan Jarry made 22 saves for the Penguins (21-17-6), who hadn’t lost to the Coyotes since Nov. 7, 2017. Pittsburgh has lost four of five (1-2-2).

Kerfoot gave Arizona a 3-2 lead at 18:01 of the second period, tucking Zucker’s pass from behind the net inside the right post.

“That felt pretty good,” said Kerfoot, who scored his second goal in nine games. “Everybody knows that the [All-Star] break is coming up, and we’ve talked about playing hard and making sure we find ways to to win before the break.”

The Penguins then pulled Jarry on a delayed penalty, but Kris Letang’s drop pass eluded Evgeni Malkin and inexplicably went into the net, making it 4-2 at 4:10 of the third period.

“I should know better; I should not go backward when the net is open,” Letang said. “I’ll learn from it.”

Coach Mike Sullivan said the Penguins’ response to the mistake “wasn’t good enough.”

“I think we just have to have a heightened awareness of that scenario, try to avoid making [such] plays, and if, we have a heightened awareness, we don't fall victim to that,” he said.

Nick Bjugstad’s goal at 7:04 made for the 5-2 final.

Zucker’s first goal in eight games gave Arizona a 1-0 lead at 2:23 of the first period. Zucker skated down the slot to score off Logan Cooley’s one-handed sweep pass.

Zucker played the previous three seasons for Pittsburgh, scoring 27 goals in 2022-23.

“We play a different style a little bit than Pittsburgh, we have less shot volume … but I think he’s found his game,” Tourigny said. “I think his teammates know him better, they put more pucks for him in that area, and it ended up paying off.”

Lars Eller tied it 1-1 at 4:50 of the second period when his wrist shot from the left circle bounced around in the crease before getting past Ingram.

Juuso Valimaki, a defenseman, put the Coyotes back in front 2-1 at 11:04 on a give-and-go with Clayton Keller. Valimaki, a healthy scratch the previous six games, scored his first goal in 37 games since March 31, 2023.

“We liked a lot of the stuff we were doing, and we stayed with it,” Zucker said. “I thought out [defense] corps was amazing tonight. They were in their face all night, not giving them a lot of time and space, and they’re a world-class team with a lot of world-class players.”

Crosby tied it 2-2 at 16:30 on a one-timer from along the goal line off Erik Karlsson’s giveback pass. Crosby’s 577th goal tied him with Mark Recchi for 21st place in NHL history.

Crosby couldn’t score earlier on a breakaway at 11:10 of the first that might have given the Penguins, trailing 1-0, some momentum.

Pittsburgh was coming off a 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, when it gave up a two-goal lead in the third period.

“Obviously, we’re disappointed with the last four periods, we recognize that it's not our best, but I don't think 'discouraged' is a word should enter our dressing room,” Sullivan said. “I think we've just got to get more determined.”

NOTES: The Coyotes became the first NHL team to score a power-play goal without having a single power-play shot in the game. ... Sullivan had been 13-0-1 against Arizona. … Crosby’s goal was his 13th in 24 games against the Coyotes. … Karlsson has a nine-game point streak (10 points; one goal, nine assists). … Letang doesn’t have a goal in 12 games. … Coyotes defenseman Matt Dumba did not play after the first period because of an upper-body injury. Arizona already was without defenseman Troy Stecher, who will be out about a month with a lower-body injury.