Final
Coyotes jump Sharks with big win
Mar 30, 2012 - 5:49 AM Glendale, AZ (Sports Network) - Radim Vrbata scored both goals, Mike Smith got his sixth shutout of the season and the Phoenix Coyotes jumped to No. 7 in the Western Conference with a 2-0 win over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.Smith made 38 saves for his 17th career shutout and third this season against the Sharks.
Phoenix snapped a two-game losing streak and moved from ninth in the standings to seventh with 89 points -- one more than San Jose and idle Los Angeles.
The Coyotes and Sharks both have four games remaining, and the Kings five.
"I just knew the importance of the game and I think everyone did," said Smith. "It was huge, one of our biggest games, and we responded with a win."
Antti Niemi gave up both goals on 33 shots for the Sharks, who have lost two in a row on the heels of a three-game winning streak.
Sharks captain Joe Thornton thinks his team will have to win out to make the playoffs.
"That's how it is now. There's four games left, we have to go 4-0," he said.
San Jose pulled Niemi with more than two minutes remaining, but still couldn't solve Smith, who had trouble explaining his success against the Sharks this season other that to credit the players in front of him.
The Phoenix goaltender had 15 saves in the first period, nine in the second and stopped 14 in the third.
Coyotes forward Ray Whitney had the primary assist on both of Vrbata's tallies to reach 999 career points, while Vrbata snapped a 12-game goalless streak.
Vrbata's first goal came on a power play 3:49 into the second period after a flurry in front of the net produced a rebound low on the left side, where he was able to whack it in.
Whitney's second assist was more hands-on.
It came at the end of a 2-on-1 in the third period when he flipped a pass over the stick of San Jose defenseman Dan Boyle and got Vrbata streaking down the right side for a one-timer at 8:17.
Game Notes
The Coyotes, behind Smith, went 4-1-1 against the Sharks this season. They are 1-1 on a four-game homestand that continues Saturday versus Anaheim...San Jose was coming off a 3-1 loss at Anaheim on Wednesday and opens a home-and-home in its own building Saturday against Dallas.
- SAN JOSE: 0
PHOENIX: 2
Final
Mar 30 12:37 AM - SAN JOSE: 0
PHOENIX: 1
End of 2nd
Mar 29 11:41 PM - SAN JOSE: 0
PHOENIX: 0
End of 1st
Mar 29 10:48 PM - SAN JOSE: 0
PHOENIX: 0
1st Period - 20:00
Mar 29 10:12 PM
Related News
- We've moved Mar 30
- New site is live Mar 29
- Jets at Sharks: Lines, open thread and how to watch Mar 28
- The Six wins their first Isobel Cup, beating the Whitecaps 4-3 in overtime Mar 27
- Coyotes Game 75 Preview: Coyotes host the Oilers in the second game of a back-to-back Mar 27
- Start of something new update Mar 26
- Coyotes Game 74 Preview: The Coyotes host the Avalanche Mar 26
- The Coyotes' persistent penalty problem Mar 25
- Coyotes minority owner Andrew Barroway arrested in Colorado on assault charges Mar 25
- Sharks at Flames: Lines, open thread and how to watch Mar 25
- Coyotes Game 73 Preview: Coyotes' road trip ends in Colorado Mar 24
- Sharks at Canucks: Lines, open thread and how to watch Mar 23