Sharks winning streak ends with loss to Coyotes

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The streak ends with a letdown in the desert.

The Arizona Coyotes played the role of spoilers Wednesday night, snapping the Sharks seven-game winning streak with a 6-3 win on home ice. The Coyotes took advantage of a Sharks group that was playing the second game of a back-to-back after an emotional win over the Pittsburgh Penguins and a flight out to Arizona.

The Sharks probably deserve a get-out-of-jail-free card for this one. They were due for a loss after opening the month of January with a 7-0 record following a loss in Calgary on New Year’s Eve. But it cost the Sharks a chance to pull even with the Calgary Flames for first place in the Pacific Division as they lost in overtime to the Buffalo Sabres.

The Coyotes jumped out to an early lead, scoring a pair of goals on their first three shots. Lawson Crouse opened the scoring at 2:31 of the first with a shot that goalie Aaron Dell would surely like another crack at. Dell got the webbing of his glove on Crouse’s 45-foot shot, but it popped up and into the net.

Richard Panik added to the lead just 2:08 later, scoring the Coyotes 12th shorthanded goal of the season by converting a breakaway chance after Brent Burns turned the puck over in the offensive zone.

Kevin Labanc cut the lead to 2-1 at 6:53 of the opening frame, scoring his first goal in 15 games. Labanc got redemption for a neutral zone turnover the led to the Coyotes first goal by firing in the rebound of a Brenden Dillon shot from the slot.

The Coyotes went back at it in the second, scoring two more goals in the frame’s first eight minutes. Christian Fischer made it 3-1 at 5:05 by banking the puck in off Erik Karlsson’s right skate. Oliver Ekman-Larsson added to the lead less than three minutes later, scoring from 51 feet out as Fischer blocked Dell’s eyes with a screen in front. Dell stopped 24 of the 28 shots he faced in the contest.

Evander Kane made it 4-2 in the middle of the period, scoring from the high slot off a pass from Labanc, who recorded his first multi-point game since Dec. 16. The goal gives Kane 22 points in his last 20 games. Logan Couture added a power play goal at 15:08 of the third. Erik Karlsson earned the primary assist and Labanc picked up his third point of the night.

Alex Galchenyuk and Josh Archibald iced the game in the last two minutes by scoring a pair of empty-net goals.

The Sharks will return to action Saturday, taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second game of a fourgame road trip.