Clayton Keller achieved his first career NHL hat trick by scoring 4:37 into overtime to give the Arizona Coyotes a 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers Sunday night in Tempe. Despite allowing a game-tying goal from the Flyers' Travis Konecny (11) at 17:43, Arizona held their own against Philly in the extra 5-minute period. It looked like this contest was headed for a shootout until Keller ripped one top shelf on Flyers netminder Carter Hart.
Keller was the first goalscorer of the night, his initial tally coming at 12:46 of the first period on the power play for the only puck in the cage during the opening 20 minutes. It was his 8th of the season. Into the 2nd period, Philadelphia logged a pair of goals, first by Morgan Frost (4) at 2:09 and then James van Riemsdyk (3) almost exactly 2 minutes later at 4:08. Keller tied the game at 2 with his 2nd of the night at the 7:45 mark, his 9th of the 2022-23 season. Later at 10:21, Arizona made it a 3-2 lead courtesy of Jack McBain (4). The Flyers would tie things at 3 before the period's end, thanks to an effort from Owen Tippett (8).
Only 2 goals got past the goalies in the 3rd period, and the first came from Arizona to take a 4-3 lead. Nick Ritchie (7) at 7:27 provided the icebreaker. Philadelphia would tie things with a couple of minutes and change left to set up overtime, and you know how that went.
Arizona outhit and won more faceoffs than the Flyers, 28-25 and 40-35. Philadelphia countered with 41 total shots to Arizona's 29 and had 9 combined penalty minutes to Arizona's 11. The Flyers' next contest is a trip to Colorado to face the Avalanche on Dec. 13 at 9:30 pm. Arizona, meanwhile, heads to San Jose to face the Sharks that same day, with puck drop scheduled for 10:30 pm.
Records
Philadelphia: 9-13-7, 7th of 8th in Metro Division, 3-game losing streak
Arizona: 9-13-4, 7th of 8th in Central Division, 2-game win streak
Yes, this was a tank bowl (two lackluster teams facing off). It's just not every day you see a hat trick completion that is also an OT winner!
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