Coyotes nip Canucks in shootout
Glendale, AZ (Sports Network) - Coyotes defenseman Adrian Aucoin scored the decisive goal in the sixth round of the shootout, as Phoenix edged the homeward-bound Vancouver Canucks, 4-3, at Jobing.com Arena.
Aucoin ripped a shot upstairs before Vancouver winger Mason Raymond whipped a backhander over the net. The previous five participants found the back of the net before Raymond missed the target.
Lee Stempniak scored twice in regulation, and Taylor Pyatt recorded his 100th career goal for the Coyotes, who have won three straight to finish 3-2-0 on a five-game residency.
Ilya Bryzgalov made 36 saves for Phoenix, which strengthened its grip on the fourth seed in the Western Conference.
"We're very fortunate to get any points out of it, let alone two. We didn't compete anywhere near the level I'd like us to compete. You're playing against a team that played last night, and I though they (Vancouver) dictated a lot of the play," said Phoenix coach Dave Tippett.
Henrik Sedin and Mikael Samuelsson each registered a goal and an assist for the Canucks, who wrapped up the longest road trip in NHL history with an 8-5-1 record. The Winter Olympics necessitated the epic trek, which consisted of eight games before the NHL's hiatus and six afterward.
Vancouver, which hasn't played a home game since January 27, increased its lead in the Northwest Division to five points over Colorado (80).
Andrew Raycroft stopped 31 shots for the Canucks.
Stempniak snapped a shot through the legs of defenseman Andrew Alberts and past Raycroft on the short side at 10:16 of the first period.
Sedin tied the game with 46 seconds left in the opening frame, then Samuelsson beat Bryzgalov 36 seconds into the second period for a 2-1 Canucks lead.
Pyatt deposited a rebound at 9:39 of the second to make it 2-2. Phoenix regained the lead when Stempniak flung a backhander from the high slot 35 seconds into the third.
Christian Ehrhoff, though, netted the equalizer 59 seconds later for Vancouver.
Game Notes
Sedin leads the NHL with 63 assists and ranks second in points with 90...Samuelsson has seven goals in his last five games...Phoenix improved to 25-10-2 at home this season and 8-4 in shootouts...The Canucks fell to 18-16-2 as the guest...Vancouver has lost three straight in Phoenix...The Coyotes will play 11 of their final 15 games on the road.
