NHL scores 2016: Coyotes grind out an impressive win, Canadiens finally snap the losing streak

Arizona showed exactly how to close out a win.

Jan 24, 2016, 2:00 PM UTC

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Is it a cliché or a compliment to call a team scrappy these days? I can never tell.

At any rate, I think the term fits perfectly for the Arizona Coyotes, a rebuilding team nobody expected to compete this year that still finds itself in the thick of the playoff race thanks to a weak division. That mentality has served them well at times, even against stiff competition. That's how it played out on Saturday.

Luck played a part in it as well. The Coyotes blew leads twice and managed to restore the tie or lead both times right off the bat. But the truly impressive feat came in the final minute of the game as the Kings tried to get goalie Jonathan Quick out of the net for an extra attacker.

They simply...couldn't. Arizona won the faceoff in its own zone, drove it back into the Kings' zone and played the best keep away I've seen any team play this season. The Kings (including an exhausted Drew Doughty, who'd been out there for eight minutes straight) could barely control the puck, and even then they were just tired enough to fire it back down the ice for an icing call.

And the grinding by the Coyotes would then continue. They were relentless. The puck never left Los Angeles’ zone, so Quick never left his net and any semblance of a threat was silenced before it began. On a night full of excellent plays at crucial moments, none stood out more than Arizona’s last stand.

It wasn’t just scrappy; it was resilient, and marked them as a team not to underestimate as the playoffs draw near.

Scores

Penguins 5, Canucks 4

Sharks 4, Wild 3

Bruins 3, Blue Jackets 2 (SO)

Canadiens 3, Maple Leafs 2 (SO)

Ducks 4, Red Wings 3

Panthers 5, Lightning 2

Devils 3, Jets 1

Avalanche 3, Stars 1

Coyotes 3, Kings 2

Predators 4, Oilers 1

3 things we learned

1. The Habs still know how to win

Something good actually happened for Montreal! And it only took a shootout to make it happen. But a win is a win, and the Canadiens will take it in any shape or form after a five-game losing streak. The only downside (not for Habs fans) was that it came at the expense of yet ANOTHER overtime loss for James Reimer. The poor man can't buy a win while putting up Vezina-worthy numbers.

2. Dallas can’t beat Colorado, and Colorado can beat the entire Central

For all the success the Stars have enjoyed over the last three years, they haven't been able to figure out the Avalanche. That trend continued on Saturday, as the Stars pumped 43 shots on Colorado and came away with a 3-1 loss for the effort. Meanwhile, the Avs slipped into the last wild card spot in the Western Conference thanks to a stellar 12-3-1 record in their own division.

3. Ryan Johansen’s issues are still there

Part of the reason that Johansen's relationship soured with the Blue Jackets was his perceived lack of effort. At the time, nobody knew what that meant. Was he out of shape? Did he just not hustle? Now that he's firmly under the microscope in Nashville, the picture's becoming clearer. For the second time in as many nights, Johansen failed to track back defensively after turnovers or forcefully insert himself into plays that needed support. And his petulant penalty on Zack Kassian only exacerbated things.

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