COYOTES

Marek Langhamer preserves Arizona Coyotes win over Anaheim Ducks in relief of Mike Smith

Sarah McLellan
azcentral sports
Arizona Coyotes goalie Marek Langhamer (30)  during the third period of their NHL game Monday, Feb. 20, 2017 in Glendale, Ariz.

The Coyotes were primed for a memorable day after subtracting defenseman Michael Stone in their first trade leading up to next week’s deadline, but it was a late-game addition that made Monday even more eventful.

Goalie Marek Langhamer made his NHL debut in relief of No. 1 Mike Smith and posted seven saves – including a highlight-reel one in the waning seconds – to preserve a 3-2 win over the Ducks at Gila River Arena that improved the Coyotes to 8-4-1 in their last 13 games.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity and glad we could pull it off at the end,” Langhamer said.

At 4:29 of the third period, Smith was removed from the game as part of the league’s concussion protocol. He was identified by a spotter in Toronto after winger Jakob Silfverberg collided with Smith, knocking off his mask, earlier in the period.

“He’s fine,” coach Dave Tippett said. “All checked out. He’s fine. He was probably ready to come back with a minute or two left.”

Called up last Thursday to back up Smith with regular understudy Louis Domingue on the mend with a lower-body injury, Langhamer was next in line.

BOX SCORE: Coyotes 3, Ducks 2

The Ducks had upped their pressure in the second period after a lackluster start that saw them surrender three first-period goals to the Coyotes on five shots, and they continued to challenge Smith early in the third.

But Tippett wasn’t worried about handing the game over to Langhamer, who was drafted in the seventh round (184th overall) in 2012.

“He’s a real calm kid,” Tippett said. “He’s got a solid demeanor about him. When I heard Mike had to go out, I said, ‘Marek, you might want to stretch or do something down there.’ He’s like, ‘I’ll go in and play.’ When you know he’s going all right, the first couple times he touched the puck he was playing it outside the net. Didn’t look nervous at all. Looked fine out there. He’s played in the American League a couple years. He’s probably looking forward to the opportunity.

"Sometimes a player like that, especially a goaltender, sometimes that’s best to throw them in like that where you don’t think. All day, first game, in the afternoon you’re thinking about pucks coming at you. Just jump in and away you go. Give him credit.”

Two power plays also helped Langhamer settle in as the Coyotes kept the puck at the other end for much of his start. Even on an ensuing Ducks’ man advantage, the team gave up only one shot on goal.

“I kind of settled down and could be calm for the rest of the game,” the 22-year-old said.

RELATED: Stone's struggles, youth on 'D' key Coyotes' trade with Flames

Anaheim did get one puck past Langhamer, a wind-up from captain Ryan Getzlaf with 27 seconds to go for his second of the game. But Langhamer was air-tight after that with his best save coming just before time expired as he got across in time to get a pad on a shot from defenseman Sami Vatanen.

“I made that first save, and it dropped right in front of me," he said. "(Corey) Perry made a great play to put it back door. I was just trying to rush to the back post, and I was fortunate enough to make the save.”

The finish concluded an already unique day for the Coyotes, as they made their first move before the NHL trade deadline hits next Wednesday.

Arizona removed one of its top-four defensemen from the mix hours before Monday’s game, shipping Stone to the Flames in exchange for a pair of draft picks.

“I wish we weren’t sellers,” Tippett said. “I wish we were buyers, but this is where we are.”

Stone wasn’t expected to be in Monday’s lineup, skating as an extra in the morning with the deal in the works. In the afternoon, the trade was announced as Stone for a 2017 third-rounder and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2018 that the team will only receive if the Flames re-sign Stone before next season.

“Unfortunately, we’re sellers. That’s where we are as a team," Tippett said. "He’s earned the right to be a free agent. He’s looking for a long-term contract. Just where we are, the business of the game, we didn’t want to go there. Now, Mike’s been a good teammate. Real good person. We wish him well.”

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Without Stone, Kevin Connauton – who is poised to earn more regular minutes after being the odd-man out for much of the season – filled out the third pairing next to Jakob Chychrun. Connor Murphy jumped up to work with Alex Goligoski, and the top duo of Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Luke Schenn remained united.

And it was the No. 3 unit of Connauton and Chychrun that chipped in offensively as the Coyotes pounced early on a Ducks team that played the night before at home against the Kings for a three-goal first. Chychrun contributed the second goal after he jumped into the play to bury a pass from winger Ryan White.

“It’s a tough time of the year,” Chychrun said. “Obviously, stuff like that’s going to happen. You never like to see your teammates leave. We wish Stoney the best of luck in Calgary. I think for us in here we can’t really control anything that’s going to happen outside of this room. We’re going to work together every day and work toward our next game, and that’s really all we can do.”

Despite having a handful of rookies who have never experienced the lead-up to a trade deadline before, the Coyotes played unfazed by the move.

They also looked motivated to ease Langhamer’s workload in Smith’s absence, making an already noteworthy day even more meaningful.

“Obviously, it was tough to jump right into it,” he said. “But guys played a great game in front of me and didn’t let them come to the ‘O’ zone. Obviously, I’m thankful for that and I’m happy I could do it.”

Reach the reporter at sarah.mclellan@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8276. Follow her at twitter.com/azc_mclellan.

Report

Key player

Coyotes goalie Mike Smith made 27 saves before leaving the game in the third.

Key moment

Goalie Marek Langhamer, who came in to replace Smith, stopped a shot from Ducks defenseman Sami Vatanen in the waning seconds of the third to preserve the win.

Key number

7 saves by Langhamer in the third period.

View from the press box

The Coyotes removed one of their top-four defensemen from the mix hours before Monday’s game, shipping Michael Stone to the Flames in exchange for a pair of draft picks, and one of the players poised to receive a jump in minutes in his absence made an impact immediately. Jakob Chychrun scored in the first, pinching to one-time a feed from winger Ryan White. General Manager John Chayka cited Chychrun’s emergence this season as one reason why the Coyotes’ outlook on the back end was encouraging to him despite Stone's subtraction, and Chychrun does seem to be getting more confident with his game all over the ice in time.