It wasn’t easy.
The first whack ended up in Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen’s pad.
Same with the second.
And the third.
Not until Coyotes winger Anthony Duclair batted at the puck a fourth time did it trickle over the goal line to send the second-year player into celebration mode, rewarding his stick blade with a kiss.
“It’s just been so long,” he said. “I was using a new stick, so I had to give some love, I guess.”
The effort it took to score that goal Tuesday in a 3-2 loss to the Stars highlighted the sophomore slump Duclair’s been trapped in this season, as it was only his second tally and first in 22 games.