Ducks are of no help to Kings

Anaheim is shut out by the Coyotes, who tie L.A. for the Pacific Division lead.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Mike Smith had 44 saves in his second straight shutout and Ray Whitney passed 1,000 career points with a goal and assist in the Phoenix Coyotes’ 4-0 rout of the Ducks on Saturday night.

Oliver Ekman-larsson, Antoine Vermette and Radim Vrbata also scored for the Coyotes, who with three games to play are tied with the Pacific Division-leading Kings in points with 91, although the Kings own the tiebreaker.

Three of Phoenix’s goals came on power plays, all in the second period, impressive for a team that is last in the NHL in that category.

Whitney’s assist on Vrbata’s goal made him the 79th player in NHL history to reach 1,000 points. Forty seconds later, Whitney scored his 24th goal of the season.

Jeff Deslauriers, in his third start of the season for the Ducks, had 29 saves.

The Coyotes killed six penalties.

Smith, honored as the team’s most valuable player before the game, earned his seventh shutout of the season, fourth in the NHL.

Smith, who had 15 firstperiod saves — 38 overall — in Phoenix’s 2-0 win over San Jose two nights earlier, was even better Saturday, stopping 21 shots as the Ducks outshot the Coyotes, 21-7, in the opening period.

But Phoenix led, thanks to Ekman-larsson’s timely exit from the penalty box. He scored on a back-hander from close range just after the Coyotes had killed the penalty.