The three-goal lead may not be the worst lead in hockey, but it certainly seems to be for the Anaheim Ducks right now.
At least when they play the Arizona Coyotes.
For the second game in a row the Coyotes were able to overcome a three-goal deficit to steal a win from the Ducks.
On Monday night they erased a 3-0 deficit by scoring four consecutive goals over the final 32 minutes of regulation.
On Wednesday, the comeback was even wilder as they scored three consecutive goals in the final 10 minutes of the third period to send the game to overtime. They ended up getting the win in the shootout on a Christian Dvorak goal.
It is the second game in a row Dvorak played a big roll in the rally. He helped complete Monday’s game with two goals in regulation, including the late game-winner.
Anytime you lose a game where you have a three-goal lead there has to be a sense of frustration. A feeling that the result is unacceptable. Because it should be, especially that late in the game. That should be a win almost every time. No excuses. No exceptions. But when it happens for the second game in a row, against the same team, to extend your current losing streak to five games, that has to take on an entirely new level of frustration.
As if all of that is not bad enough, the Ducks had this three-goal lead with less than 10 minutes to play in regulation!
It was then that latest comeback for Arizona began. Tyler Pitlick and Jakob Chychrun scored a pair of goals less than two minutes apart to cut the deficit to one, setting the stage for Phil Kessel to score his seventh goal of the season just a few minutes later to tie the game.
These two games help the Coyotes join a very exclusive list, via NHL PR.
The @ArizonaCoyotes added themselves to a short list.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 25, 2021
Arizona became the eighth team in NHL history to overcome a three-goal deficit to win in consecutive games, with only one other club doing so against the same opponent. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/oZD9yeTyla
The only downside for the Coyotes on Wednesday is that Darcy Kuemper exited the game late in the second period and was replaced by Adin Hill. Hill stopped all 14 shots he faced in relief to get the win.
The win moves Arizona into a playoff spot in the West Division for the time being with 21 points, but their points percentage (.553) is still fifth best in the division.
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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.