GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -Peter Mueller and Radim Vrbata scored in a shootout to give the Phoenix Coyotes a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night.
After the Avs' Wojtek Wolski failed to record a shot in the shootout, Mueller scored on a wrist shot past goalie Peter Budaj. Coyotes goalie Ilya Bryzgalov then stopped Marek Svatos, and when Vrbata scored on a backhand, the Coyotes picked up two standing points.
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| Ben Guite, center, takes a shot on Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, left, as Martin Hanzal helps on defense, during the third period of the Avalanche's 4-3 loss in the shootout on Monday. (AP Photo/Roy Dabner) |
Colorado rallied to tie the game. Down 3-2, Cody McLeod's second goal of the season with 4:49 left in the third period forced overtime.
The Avs struck first when Wolski took a perfect pass from Andrew Brunette from the right corner, and beat Bryzgalov at 12:23 of the opening period.
The Coyotes' best first-period opportunity occurred when defenseman Keith Yandle fired from the right point. That shot, and his follow-up rebound, were both handled by Budaj midway through the period.
Vrbata jammed in a loose puck just outside the crease on the power play at 3:30 of the second period, and Steven Reinprecht, charging down the slot, beat Budaj 11 seconds later to give Phoenix a 2-1 lead.
Vrbata added his second power-play goal of the game when he converted a long pass from Mueller with 4:08 left in the second.
The Avs cut it to 3-2 in the final minute of the middle period when Brett Clark knocked in a rebound from close range.
Notes: Avs captain Joe Sakic, recovering from hernia surgery, missed his 14th straight game. ... The Coyotes' two goals within 11 seconds was not a franchise record. Winnepeg's Deron Quint scored two within four seconds on Dec. 15, 1995, an NHL record. Winnipeg moved to Phoenix at the start of the 1995-96 season.
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