GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) β Nicklas Grossmann had two goals, Mike Smith stopped 26 shots and the Arizona Coyotes held on for a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night.
Grossmann, usually a stay-at-home defenseman, provided the unexpected offense with the first two-goal game of his 11-year NHL career. He’s had two or more goals in an entire season twice and 10 total in 542 career games before Thursday.
Tobias Rieder and Jordan Martinook also scored for Arizona. Martin Hanzal had two assists after missing the previous two games with a lower-body injury. Connor Murphy and Mikkel Boedker also had two each.
Colorado’s Matt Duchene scored with 3:46 left to cut the lead to 3-2, but Martinook scored on an empty net to seal it.
Cody McLeod also scored for Colorado, which has lost seven of nine.
