Coyotes rally for victory
Sullivan scores lone goal in shootout as Phoenix takes series opener
Perhaps this wasn’t the best time to challenge the Pacific Divisionleading Anaheim Ducks.
Not with the Coyotes’ fourth line shouldering the offensive load and the Ducks performing like a legitimate contender in the Western Conference, collecting points in all but three games.
But, ready or not, the chance to trim the 10-point gap between the Ducks and Coyotes in the division standings was available.
And the test, which will continue in an unusual three-game series, seemed to be just the jolt the Coyotes needed as they rallied for a 5-4 shootout win in front of 15,227 Saturday at Jobing.com Arena.
“They’re at the top of our division, and we’re trying to scratch and
claw and get up there,” coach Dave Tippett said. “That’s two valuable points for us. It’ll be another two valuable ones on Monday.”
With 10 different Coyotes contributing at least a point and the top three lines adding goals, this was the response Tippett had been waiting for after all three units have been outshined recently by the fourth line.
Winger Steve Sullivan was the poster boy for the inconsistency, but he called for overtime when he scored his first goal in 14 games at 13:31 of the third period to make it 4-4 and then served up an encore with the lone shootout goal.
“That’s what I was brought here to do, to help on the offensive side of the puck, and it wasn’t going in,” Sullivan said. “So I felt a lot of pressure.”
Initially, though, it looked like the Coyotes were copying Thursday’s blueprint for disappointment by falling behind early and narrowly missing a comeback finish.
The Coyotes allowed a goal on the Ducks’ first shot — center Andrew Cogliano banking in a puck 21 seconds after the opening faceoff.
After the Coyotes were hemmed in their own end for an entire two-minute Ducks power play, the Coyotes were able to score on their next rush up the ice.
Ducks goalie Viktor Fasth deflected a shot from winger Raffi Torres into the boards, and the puck bounced right to center Matthew Lombardi. He backhanded it at 10:30 to make it 1-1.
The Coyotes then took the lead with winger Lauri Korpikoski sending a shot over Fasth’s glove at 12:32 of the second. But 27 seconds later, Cogliano got his second of the game.
Cogliano buried the hat trick with 2:34 left in the second before Korpikoski tied it with his second of the game 15 seconds into the third.
During a questionable goaltender-interference penalty to the Coyotes, the Ducks went up 4-3 with Saku Koivu’s shot from the slot.
But then Sullivan forced extra time, and the Coyotes killed that off a power play in overtime before Smith, who made 31 saves, blanked all three Ducks shooters in the shootout.
“We’re happy with this one,” Sullivan said. “But we’ve got to try to do it again in a couple nights.”