Overturned goal helps Coyotes push Predators to the brink

The Arizona Coyotes knew they had a big opportunity once their challenge erased Nashville’s goahead goal early in the third period.

The Coyotes took advantage by scoring the next three goals.

Conor Garland and Taylor Hall each scored in the third period and the Coyotes beat the Predators 4-1 on Wednesday.

Now the Coyotes, seeded 11th in the West in the NHL’s restart, can eliminate the sixth-seeded Predators in Game 4 on Friday in this best-of-five qualifying series in Edmonton, Alberta.

Christian Dvorak scored on Arizona’s first shot of the game, and the Coyotes scored three in the third for the victory.

The Predators thought they had a 2-1 lead 1:13 into the third period on a goal by Kyle Turris, but the Coyotes won their challenge of offside with Nashville center Matt Duchene found over the blue line on review. Turris later hit the post with 6:19 left.

Garland put the Coyotes ahead to stay with his wrister from the slot at 7:08 of the third for the first playoff goal of his career. Hall padded the lead with 4:22 left with his first goal of the series on a snap shot from the left circle. PANTHERS 3, ISLANDERS 2 >> Mike Hoffman and Brian Boyle scored 2:07 apart in the opening minutes of the third period, and the Florida Panthers avoided elimination in Game 3 of their preliminary round playoff series in Toronto.

Erik Haula also scored, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 20 shots. The 10th-seeded Panthers trail the best-of-five series 2-1 with Game 4 at the NHL’s Eastern Conference hub city of Toronto on Friday. CANADIENS 4, PENGUINS 3 >> Jeff Petry’s

sharp-angle goal in the third period snapped a 3-3 tie and gave Montreal a 2-1 series lead over Pittsburgh.

Montreal, seeded 12th and last among Eastern Conference postseason participants, pushed the fifth-seeded Penguins into an elimination game Friday.

HURRICANES 4, RANGERS 1 >> Sebastian Aho scored twice in the third period while James Reimer was strong in net to help Carolina sweep the Stanley Cup qualifier series Tuesday. Warren Foegele scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period for the Hurricanes.

CANUCKS 4, WILD 3 >> J.T. Miller had a goal and an assist, and Vancouver beat Minnesota on Tuesday to even the qualifying series in Edmonton, Alberta, at a win each. Game 3 is today, when lower-seeded Minnesota will be the home team for the first time in the series.

LEAFS’ MUZZIN OUT OF THE HOSPITAL,

WILL NOT RETURN IN SERIES >> Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin has been discharged from the hospital and is back at the team’s hotel, and will not return to the lineup during Toronto’s playoff qualification series with the Columbus Blue Jackets.