Coyotes Announce Howl-O-Ween Night Oct. 29 Against Kings

Coyotes vs. Winnipeg Jets: Ekman-Larsson Leads Phoenix To Home Win

The Phoenix Coyotes might have precious few atmospheres like they one they had Saturday night at Jobing.com Arena throughout the season, but they made this one a night to remember.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, a 20-year-old defenseman from Sweden, scored a pair of goals to lead the Coyotes to a 4-1 win over the reincarnated WInnipeg Jets before 17,132 fans. 

Phoenix (2-1-1) also got a goal and assist from Ray Whitney and two assists from Shane Doan, who didn't get his 300th career goal but still played a major role. 

Center Daymond Langkow opened the scoring 34 seconds into the game, and the Coyotes never trailed thereafter. Ekman-Larsson made it 2-0 before the first period was over and 3-0 with his second-period goal before Andrew Ladd scored for the Jets. 

The Coyotes converted on only one power play, but Whitney's goal made it 4-1. He took a pass from behind the net from Martin Hanzal and scored with 13:17 to play in the game. 

Goaltender Mike Smith stopped 18 of 19 shots, including a penalty shot from Jets center Nik Antropov halfway through the final period. Smith got his first win in goal of the season for Phoenix.

Smith took a knock from the Jets' Evander Kane with 9:04 left and was down on the ice for a little bit, but got up and finished the game.

Andrew Ladd scored the winless Jets' only goal of the game, giving those in the crowd rooting for Winnipeg -- and there were more than a few -- something to be happy about. The Jets are back in the NHL after a 15-year absence after the original Jets relocated to Arizona and became the Coyotes in 1996. 

Coyotes vs. Winnipeg Jets: Both Teams Score, Coyotes Hold Lead After Two

Still no 300th goal for Shane Doan, but Oliver Ekman-Larsson has his second goal of the game. He scored with a slap shot from distance that beat Winnipeg goaltender Chris Mason with 5:03 left in the second period.

The Jets did well to kill off four minutes of power play after a double-minor to defenseman Ron Hainsey for high-sticking. The Coyotes peppered Mason with shots but he was up to the task, until Ekman-Larsson’s goal.

The Jets gave their many fans in attendance something be happy about when defenseman Tobias Enstrom's shot was tipped in by Andrew Ladd with 18 seconds left in the period. Enstrom's shot went under two sticks, touched Ladd's stick and went off the pads of the Coyotes’ Mike Smith in goal, making it 3-1 Coyotes in the second intermission.

Winnipeg has upped its shots count to 14 while the Coyotes are at 21. Smith came up with a big save on a shot from right in front from the Jets' Tim Stapleteon with 10:29 to go.

Coyotes vs. Winnipeg Jets: Two Early Goals, Three Penalty Kills Have Phoenix Up After One Period

Thirty-four seconds into their home ice debut, the Phoenix Coyotes scored. Left winger Ray Whitney took the puck behind the net, passed out in front to center Daymond Langkow and Langkow put it away for the team’s first goal.

Phoenix scored again at the 10:48 mark of the period with defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson shooting one in that looked like it went off a Jets player among a lot of traffic in front of the goal. That excited the heck out the Swedish reporter sitting to my right up here in the press box.

In the meantime, the Coyotes killed three two-minute penalties and peppered Winnipeg goaltender Chris Mason with 11 shots on goal. The Coyotes look well on their way to securing Win No. 2 on the young season.

The Jets have some fans behind them here at Jobing.com Arena, but they haven’t had much to cheer about except the Canadian national anthem. It's 2-0 Coyotes at the first intermission.

Coyotes vs. Winnipeg Jets: Hockey Is Officially Back In The Valley

The Phoenix Coyotes make their home debut this afternoon at Jobing.com Arena against a reincarnation of their former selves, the new version of the Winnipeg Jets.