The Arizona Coyotes aren't known for piling up goals and dominating the opposition, but they managed to do just that on Friday night, taking down the Washington Capitals with a monstrous 6-3 effort.

Washington - the league's No.1 club - fell behind early as the Coyotes posted three goals in the first period, all of which were highlight-reel tallies. The Capitals tried to close the gap in the middle frame, but were buried by two power-play goals from Arizona to close out the second, putting the tilt out of reach.

Related - Watch: Coyotes' Dvorak burns Burakovsky 3 times before scoring

Arizona's six goals were the most the team has scored in any game this season. However, it was who exactly was potting those goals that was significant for the basement-dwelling club.

The Coyotes' youth proved their worth during the victory, giving fans a glimpse of what the future in the desert might hold.

Christian Dvorak and Alex Burmistrov led the way with two goals apiece, while fellow young guns Max Domi, Lawson Crouse, and Anthony DeAngelo - all of whom are under 22 years of age - earned points as well.

While it's been a forgettable campaign for Arizona, Friday night's effort proved the Coyotes' tumultuous rebuild might eventually wind up being worth the wait after all.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings may be staring down an early summer, but that isn't stopping Jarome Iginla from putting pucks in the net.

Iginla scored for the third time in as many games during the Kings' Friday night tilt against the Vancouver Canucks. The latest tally was his 14th of the season, but more importantly, the 625th of his career.

That moves the former Calgary Flames captain into a tie for 15th on the all-time goals list, putting him level with Colorado Avalanche legend - and Iginla's former general manager - Joe Sakic.

Iginla has scored at least 20 goals in 16 of the past 17 seasons, the only outlier being the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign, wherein he potted 14 goals in 44 games.

With at least 20 tallies in each of the past three years, Iginla's streak looked likely to end in 2016-17 after an abysmal start in Colorado.

However, the 39-year-old has been lighting it up since joining the Kings at the trade deadline, his six goals for L.A. sitting just a pair below the total he posted through 61 games for the Avalanche this season.

With five games left in the Kings' season, Iginla looks to have his sights on closing the six-goal gap and reaching the 20-goal plateau once again. And if his recent performances are any indication, counting the veteran sniper out would seem an ill-advised move.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When Tyson Jost was drafted 10th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in June, the hockey world was introduced to his grandfather, who was overcome with emotion in the stands upon his grandson achieving his lifelong dream.

On Friday night, Jost skated in his first NHL game, and his grandfather was again in attendance shedding tears of joy.

Jost was held pointless in his debut, but recorded two shots on goal, one hit, and one block in 13:25 of ice time.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames are the third Canadian team to clinch a spot in the 2017 playoffs, earning their berth with a 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Friday night.

Calgary's long trek back to the postseason wasn't an easy one. The Flames started off 2016-17 with a rough 5-10-1 stretch, but rebounded midway through the season after getting some exceptional play from goaltender Brian Elliott.

The veteran netminder posted a save percentage of just .898 during the season's first month, but rebounded shortly after the calendar flipped to 2017, turning in clips of .922 in February and .935 in March.

With their playoff berth in tow, it's safe to say the Flames' rebuild has stabilized. The club earned a postseason spot in 2014-15 - its first in six years - before missing the cut last season. The disappointment prompted a coaching change, as bench boss Bob Hartley was ousted in favor of Glen Gulutzan.

As it turns out, the move worked.

After zero Canadian clubs made it into the playoffs last season, three have now clinched spots in 2017 - Montreal, Edmonton, and now Calgary.

The Flames sit in a wild-card spot for now, just one point back of San Jose for third place in the Pacific Division.

If the standings remained as they are right now, Calgary would meet the Anaheim Ducks in the first round, though the Flames are currently only six points behind them for first place in the Pacific, so much is yet to be decided.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues: in.

For the sixth consecutive season, the Blues will play spring hockey, clinching a playoff berth by virtue of earning a point in Friday's shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

St. Louis has endured an up-and-down season, which saw longtime head coach Ken Hitchcock fired in favor of Mike Yeo in February.

However, the Blues are as hot as anybody right now, amassing a 7-1-2 record in their last 10 games, and will have an opportunity to secure a top-three position in the Central Division, currently sitting two points clear of the Nashville Predators.

Last season, they advanced to the Western Conference Final for the first time since 2000-01, ultimately falling to the Sharks in six games.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

CHICAGO - Artemi Panarin had two goals, Corey Crawford made 32 saves and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 on Friday night to reach the cusp of clinching the Central Division.

Panarin scored in the opening minute, then added an empty-netter with 44 seconds left for his 28th goal of the season. Marian Hossa also scored in the first period for Chicago, and Patrick Kane assisted on all three goals as Chicago extended its division lead to nine points over idle Minnesota.

The Wild have five games remaining and the Blackhawks have four.

Nick Foligno scored his 25th goal to end an eight-game drought and Sergei Bobrovksy made 21 saves, but the Blue Jackets lost for the second time in two nights.

Panarin and Hossa put Chicago ahead 2-1 after 20 minutes in a matchup of the teams with the NHL's second- and third-best records. The Blackhawks and Crawford played a smart, tidy game to deny the Blue Jackets a chance to gain ground on first-place Washington in the Metropolitan Division.

Bobrovsky got his first regulation loss since Feb. 19 against Nashville. He had been 10-0-2 during the run and entered leading the NHL in wins, goals-against average and save percentage.

Coming off a 2-1 overtime loss at Carolina on Thursday night - with backup Joonas Korpisalo in net - the Blue Jackets didn't arrive at the their hotel in Chicago until about 1:30 p.m. on Friday.

The team left Raleigh-Durham International Airport on a chartered jet shortly after Thursday's game, but the plane was forced to turn back about 30 minutes into the flight because of a faulty generator. The Blue Jackets returned to the hotel they stayed at on Wednesday, then flew to Chicago on Friday.

Chicago took advantage by striking fast.

Panarin got a power-play goal 32 seconds in and four seconds after Columbus' Brandon Dubinksy was sent off for cross-checking Niklas Hjalmarsson.

After Jonathan Toews won a faceoff in the Blue Jackets' zone, Kane slipped the puck to Panarin in the slot. He beat Bobrovsky just over his glove with a quick shot.

The teams exchanged goals 22 seconds apart during a 4-on-4 late in the first period.

Foligno tied it 1-all with 2:45 left in the first from the left side of the crease. After taking Sam Gagner's pass from behind the net, he slipped the puck under Crawford.

Finishing a 2-on-1 break with Kane, Hossa's 26th goal put Chicago back in front 2-1 moments later. The 38-year-old faked Bobrovsky to the ice, cut across the crease and scored on a slick backhander.

Both goalies made a handful of alert saves in the scoreless second period, but neither was heavily tested.

Bobrovksy denied Hossa on a prime chance early in the third, then Crawford was sharp when needed - including on Gagner's deflection at 9:30 during a Columbus power play.

NOTES: Blackhawks C Artem Anisimov missed his ninth game (lower body), but coach Joel Quenneville said he hoped the 22-goal scorer would return for the playoffs. ... C Vinnie Hinostroza, recalled from Rockford of the AHL on Thursday, was among Chicago's scratches. ... Columbus coach John Tortorella said the team's flight turnaround was ''very nerve-wracking,'' but otherwise joked about the incident before Friday's game and hoped it might rally his team. ''When you hear the announcement: `It's an emergency, but we're OK,' where do you go with that?'' Tortorella said.

UP NEXT:

Blue Jackets: Host league-leading Washington on Sunday in a showdown of the top teams in the rugged Metropolitan.

Blackhawks: Host Boston on Sunday in their final regular-season home game. Chicago closes out the schedule with three road contests.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Two-sport athlete alert! Sorta.

New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung practiced with the Boston Bruins on Friday, and unlike fellow NFLer Larry Fitzgerald, he held his own on the ice.

"He was actually better than I expected him to be. We were impressed," Bruins defenseman Torey Krug told CSN's Joe Haggerty. "It was great to see him out there."

Chung showed off his hockey chops with some backwards skating while puck handling, among other skills.

A no-look, backhand pass.

A smooth skate-to-stick transfer and a few shots.

While Chung certainly isn't ready to swap sports, he did a lot better than most football players who strap on the skates.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Islanders captain John Tavares left Friday's contest versus the New Jersey Devils after suffering an apparent leg injury, and will be re-evaluated Saturday, head coach Doug Weight announced.

Tavares was helped to the dressing room by teammates after this play:

The Islanders followed up Thursday's disastrous loss with a 2-1 decision over the Devils to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. New York sits four points back of Boston with five games to go.

Tavares picked up a helper in the win, giving him 66 points in 77 games.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andre Burakovsky is going to have nightmares about this one.

The Washington Capitals winger got humbled thrice by Arizona Coyotes rookie Christian Dvorak during their Friday night matchup in Glendale. Dvorak started things off by forcing a turnover by Burakovsky at the Coyotes' blue line, stealing the puck and shifting play toward Washington's end.

He eventually sealed the deal for his 13th goal of the season, but only after embarrassing Burakovsky two more times en route to the net.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Team USA got off to a strong start at the Women's World Championship on Friday, shutting out Team Canada 2-0 to open the tournament with a win.

After a scoreless first period, United States froward Brianna Decker opened the scoring in the second. Gigi Marvin added the insurance marker early in the final frame.

It was a strong effort for the defending champions, as the Americans fired 30 shots on Canada netminder Shannon Szabados, while Nicole Hensley made 18 saves for a shutout.

The win holds extra significance for the American women, who settled a dispute with USA Hockey March 28 to ensure proper compensation after threatening to boycott this year's tournament due to unfair wages and a lack of support.

Next up, USA faces Russia on Saturday, while Canada is due for a date with Finland.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.