Coyotes 2 - 3 Ducks
Final - OT
  for this game

Koivu helps Ducks to overtime win over Coyotes

Dec 29, 2013 - 5:41 AM Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Saku Koivu scored the winner in overtime as Anaheim was able to rally after blowing a late lead for a 3-2 victory over Phoenix on Saturday.

The Coyotes scored a pair of late goals to send the game to overtime, but it was the Ducks coming away with the win as Ben Lovejoy sent a shot on net from the high slot that Koivu redirected past Thomas Greiss for the win just 51 seconds in.

Koivu finished the game with two goals and an assist with Andrew Cogliano also scoring for the Ducks, who extended their club-record winning streak to 10 games.

"It's something to be proud of. We wanted this 10th win. This was a big one," said Lovejoy.

Jonas Hiller turned away 23 shots for Anaheim, which has the NHL's longest winning streak since Pittsburgh ripped off 15 straight wins from March 2-30 last season.

Martin Hanzal and Keith Yandle scored for the Coyotes, who have lost six of their last seven. Greiss made 38 stops in the loss.

"I thought he was excellent," said Phoenix head coach Dave Tippett about Greiss. "He made some real big saves for us. We knew they were going to come hard with us being a tired team and he made some key saves at the right time to allow us to get a point."

Phoenix trailed by two goals late in the third, but caught a break to make it a one-goal game.

Michael Stone dumped the puck into the Anaheim end and the puck bounced off the back boards to the front where Hanzal shot it into the open net as Hiller was trying to play the puck at 15:26.

In the final minute with Greiss pulled for an extra attacker, the Coyotes were able to tie the game with 43.8 seconds showing on the clock as Yandle blasted a one-timer from the right point that made its way through traffic.

"We had a 2-0 lead, and they got a lucky bounce on the first goal," said Koivu. "It's one of those things where you try and regroup and quick as you can. You knew there was a good chance there would be overtime, so you start thinking about that."

The Ducks took a 1-0 lead at 17:08 of the first while shorthanded as Koivu skated into the Phoenix end and from the left circle he was able to blast a shot past Greiss.

Neither side got on the board in the second period, but Anaheim made it 2-0 just 5:04 into the third when Daniel Winnik sent a hard pass from the right point to the front where it went off the leg of Cogliano and in.

Game Notes

Phoenix hosts Edmonton on Tuesday ... Anaheim looks to extend its streak in San Jose on Sunday in the first of a home-and-home ... The Ducks have won all four matchups with the Coyotes this season ... Neither side scored on the power play as Phoenix had two chances and Anaheim three.






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