Arizona Coyotes forward Matias Maccelli leaves game with lower-body injury

Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Coyotes forward Matias Maccelli suffered a lower-body injury in the first period of Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings, the Coyotes announced.

Maccelli, 22, left the Coyotes’ bench after logging 2:40 of ice time in the opening period. The Coyotes announced he would not return to the game just after the start of the middle frame.

The Coyotes and Kings are currently tied by a 1–1 score midway through the second period of Friday’s game at Mullett Arena.

INJURY UPDATE: Coyotes forward Matias Maccelli has suffered a lower body injury and will not return.

— Arizona Coyotes PR (@AZCoyotesPR) December 24, 2022

The Coyotes originally selected Maccelli in the fourth round (No. 98 overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft. The 5’11”, 176-pound winger currently ranks second among National Hockey League rookies (behind only Seattle’s Matty Beniers) with 22 points in 29 games this season.

Maccelli also leads all rookies with 19 assists and has averaged 15:31 of ice time per game in the early goings of his first season as an NHL regular in Arizona. The Turku, Finland product made his NHL debut with the Coyotes in 2021–22.

Nick Schmaltz and Alex Iafallo have the goals as the Coyotes and Kings continue to do battle on the Arizona State University campus on Friday evening. Both teams have scored their goals on the power play.