Phoenix Coyotes Defeat Anaheim Ducks in Shootout 5-4
By Sean
(via NHL.com) GLENDALE, AZ – MARCH 02: Lauri Korpikoski #28 of the Phoenix Coyotes and teammates celebrate a goal against the Anaheim Ducks at Jobing.com Arena on March 2, 2013 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images)
Phoenix, AZ – In Game 1 of this mid-season playoff series, the Phoenix Coyotes claimed victory in the shootout over the Anaheim Ducks. After a wild regulation and overtime, Steve Sullivan of the Yotes scored the lone goal in the shootout to clinch the victory. Mike Smith stood tall against Nick Bonino, Corey Perry and Saku Koivu in the shootout.
Each period had it’s own ebs and flows. The Ducks scored in the first minute of the game when Andrew Cogliano slammed home a nice pass in front from Saku Koivu, 1-0 ANA. Phoenix answered halfway through the period when Matthew Lombardi put a backhand by Viktor Fasth, 1-1 TIE. Raffi Torres took a shot wide and the puck bounced off the end boards out to the other side of the net where Lombardi stuffed it home. In the first half of the second period, each team appeared to be a bit weary about the way the game was going. Each team was very conservative and had problems just getting the puck through the neutral zone. Until Lauri Korpikoski snapped a shot over Fasth’s glove, 2-1 PHX. It most definitely should’ve been stopped and not a goal we’re used to seeing Fasth give up. The Ducks quickly answered though when Cogliano netted his second of the game from virtually the same position as Korpikoski, 2-2 TIE. Smith was screened and it went over his glove. Later in the second, the Ducks took the lead again when Cogliano got his second career hat trick, both in Jobing.com Arena against Phoenix, 3-2 ANA. The goal looked a lot like the goal that gave Team Canada the gold in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Then, in the third period, things began to unravel for the Ducks. Korpikoski got his second of the night after sloppy play right in front of the net, just 16 seconds into the third, 3-3 PHX. The Ducks power play registered yet another goal tonight when Saku Koivu snapped home a wrist shot through the five hole of Smith from the slot, 4-3 ANA. Bobby Ryan made a nice, quick pass and Koivu deposited it quickly. However, with the Coyotes buzzing, Steve Sullivan shoved home a juicy rebound to tie the game with less than seven minutes left in the game, 4-4 TIE. The Coyotes continued to dominate the third period, but were not able to convert for the lead. The game went into overtime and the Ducks got a golden opportunity when Antoine Vermette got called for holding Cogliano. They would be unable to net the winner in the power play and the game would go into a shootout. After saves from Fasth on Mikkel Boedker and Smith on Bonino, Sullivan froze Fasth and then put through his five hole for the eventual game winner, 5-4 PHX.
This definitely showed how the back end of a back-to-back can look for any team. The Ducks started to labor late in regulation and just could not muster enough energy to pull through with a win. Forward Kyle Palmieri left the game after getting hit up high by Torres, he did not return due to an upper body injury. Defenseman Bryan Allen was given the night off to get some rest, just like Sheldon Souray last night. The Ducks will get another shot at the Yotes on Monday night. Game 2 of this series will be in Jobing.com Arena as well.
Three Stars:
1.
Lauri Korpikoski (2 G, +2)
2.
Andrew Cogliano (3 G, +3)
3. Kyle Chipchura (+1)
Thanks for reading! Any questions? Contact us! Or follow us on twitter @PucksofaFeather! We’re back on Facebook, so like us!
Follow me on twitter @ducks_sean! Follow our Lead Editor on twitter @thekrishill! Follow my fellow Staff Writers on twitter @bauerhockeydude and @CamLanier!