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Mueller, Vrbata help Coyotes top Ducks in shootout

Sep 17, 2007 - 3:06 AM By Joel Bergman PA Sportsticker Contributing Writer

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) - Peter Mueller and Radim Vrbata each scored in the shootout as the Phoenix Coyotes edged the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, 2-1, in a penalty-filled preaseason contest Sunday.

The game's result was overshadowed by the news that defenseman Mathieu Schneider, injured midway through the second period in Saturday night's game in Los Angeles, was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture of his left ankle. Schneider, signed as a free agent in July as insurance if captain Scott Niedermayer decides to retire, will be lost to the club for four weeks.

After Anaheim's newly-acquired Todd Bertuzzi opened the shootout with a goal, both Mueller and Vrbata tallied for Phoenix and goaltender Josh Tordjman denied Andy McDonald to preserve the win.

The Ducks opened the scoring at 2:55 of the first period when Chris Kunitz took a rink-wide pass from defenseman Joe DiPenta going down the left wing and fired a wrist shot past Phoenix goalie David Aebischer.

Phoenix killed off a 5-on-3 disadvantage for 1:12 following a series of hooking penalties, three to the Coyotes and one to the Ducks.

Phoenix tied the score at 1-1 on a power play at 6:29 of the second stanza. Vrbata, stationed at the left wing corner of the net, deflected in a pass from Brendan Bell from high in the right slot past the right skate of Anaheim netminder Gerald Coleman.

Players were literally fighting for their jobs through the first two periods, with three sets of fights breaking out. Coyotes left wing Josh Gratton and Ducks right wing Mike Hoffman squared off in the game's first fight.

The fisticuffs continued as two more scuffles broke out during the middle period. The Coyotes' Josh Gratton fought the Ducks Sean O'Donnell, followed immediately by a fight between Phoenix right wing Craig Weller and Anaheim left wing Dan LaCouture.