• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Coyotes rally past Blue Jackets

Jan 12, 2011 - 5:25 AM Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Radim Vrbata and Derek Morris scored third period goals, leading the Phoenix Coyotes to a 4-3 comeback win over Columbus that sent the Blue Jackets to their fifth straight loss.

Morris' shot midway through the final period deflected high in the air and off Mathieu Garon's back.

The Coyotes rallied from deficits of 2-0 and 3-1 to collect their fourth victory in five games, also getting goals Tuesday from Vernon Fiddler and Eric Belanger.

Ilya Bryzgalov made 37 saves for the victory, Phoenix's fifth straight over the Blue Jackets.

"We gave up a couple early but we came in and got nothing to lose," Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett said. "We got in at three o'clock this morning in a snow storm. It's just a good night for hockey and our guys were enjoying it and we felt like we could come back."

Jared Boll, Rostislav Klesla and Kristian Huselius all scored for Columbus, but the Blue Jackets remained winless in the new year after capturing three straight games to end 2010.

Mathieu Garon allowed four goals on 28 shots in the setback, including the third period tallies that gave Phoenix the win.

"We played a great game tonight, we should have won," Garon said. "We battled hard and we were close at the end. It's hard when you need desperate wins like that I think its tough for everybody."

Vrbata scored on a one-timer just 36 seconds into the third period, tying the game at 3-3 and following a familiar storyline -- six of the game's seven goals came in the first six minutes of a period.

Morris' go-ahead goal only happened after a bit of luck: his long shot, after deflecting into the air, rolled in off Garon's jersey to make it 4-3.

The Blue Jackets have been outscored 24-10 during their 0-5 run to begin 2011, but things looked OK early on in this one.

Columbus scored twice during a three-minute span early in the first period to take a 2-0 lead. Boll deflected Marc Methot's shot over Bryzgalov's glove and Klesla scored on a long slap shot from above the right circle.

As active as the stretch was, it didn't compare to an offense burst early in the second period when the teams combined for three goals in 87 seconds.

Fiddler scored shorthanded on a 2-on-2 rush with Lauri Korpikoski to get Phoenix on the board at 2:14, but Columbus was able to get a power play marker one minute later on Huselius' wrister to restore its two-goal lead.

Belanger stuffed the puck in from beside the crease at 3:41 to finish the outburst and draw the Coyotes within 3-2.

Game Notes

The Coyotes have won 10 of their last 12 meetings with the Blue Jackets and have taken six in a row in Columbus...Phoenix was 0-for-4 on the power play, while Columbus went 1-for-5.