Chicago Blackhawks come out flat after Patrick Kane trade and lose 4-1 to the Arizona Coyotes

TEMPE, Ariz. — Nick Schmaltz had a goal and an assist, Karel Vejmelka stopped 23 shots and the Arizona Coyotes beat the Patrick Kane-less Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 on Tuesday night.

The Blackhawks came out flat after trading their star player to the New York Rangers earlier in the day in a three-way deal that included the Coyotes.

The Coyotes took advantage with first-period goals by Travis Boyd and Barrett Hayton. Jack McBain scored in the second and Vejmelka was sharp after allowing six goals in a loss to the Calgary Flames in his last start.

Andreas Athanasiou scored late in the third period and Alex Stalock allowed four goals on 33 shots for the Hawks.

The Coyotes had turned into a defensive sieve since a nine-game point streak, allowing six goals each in a pair of losses.

Arizona went on the offensive early against the Hawks, creating numerous good scoring chances in the first period. Boyd scored midway through the period, beating Stalock on a shot from the right circle that knuckled off Hawks defenseman Ian Mitchell.

Hayton scored late in the first on a high redirect of Schmaltz’s shot that trickled through Stalock’s skates.

The Hawks picked up the pressure in the second, but Vejmelka was sharp, making tough saves on a series of Hawks rushes.

McBain made it 3-0 late in the period when his one-timer from the slot popped straight up, bounced several times and trickled into the net.

Schmaltz scored midway through the third, one-timing a pass from Clayton Keller, who circled around the back of the net to the right circle. Schmaltz has seven goals and six assists in his last nine games.

• Coyotes D Jakob Chychrun and F Nick Bjugstad were healthy scratches for trade-related reasons. F Laurent Dauphin was recalled from Arizona’s AHL affiliate in Tucson.
• D Vili Saarijärvi, part of the Kane trade, was not with the Hawks for Tuesday’s game.
• The Coyotes’ seven-game home point streak (5-0-2) against the Hawks is their longest against an NHL opponent since a 6-0-1 run against the Washington Capitals from 2008–17.

UP NEXT

Blackhawks: Host the Dallas Stars on Thursday.

Coyotes: Visit the Stars on Wednesday.