Coyotes chasing the record books with offense on penalty kill

At what point do the Arizona Coyotes take any infraction simply to go on the penalty kill?

While that's an absurd notion for any team, it's amusing to consider because Arizona has now notched nine short-handed goals this season through only 14 games, including two on the same minor penalty during Thursday's overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Coyotes now have a shot at the short-handed goals record. The 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers are the current record holders after scoring 36 short-handed goals.

The Coyotes' penalty kill is a rare offensive threat, and the team is also shutting down the opposition in that situation, as Arizona is killing off a league-best 91.1 percent of its penalties. The Coyotes have the best penalty kill success rate since the New Jersey Devils finished the 2011-12 campaign at 89.6 percent.

"It's a combination of everything: system, execution, players, courage, and following instruction. They all play a part and I wouldn't say there is one particular thing that matters most," Coyotes assistant coach Scott Allen, who runs the team's penalty kill, told The Athletic's Craig Morgan earlier this month.

"Aggressive with purpose is my philosophy," he added. "There are reasons behind it and how we do it. It's not on a whim. It's structured aggressiveness."

On Thursday, the Flyers couldn't find the back of the net on their two power-play opportunities. Scoring has been a rare occurrence this season against a Coyotes penalty-kill unit that's allowed just four goals, and the club is plus-five with a man in the box, the NHL's best showing in more than 40 seasons.