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Third-period burst leads Coyotes to surprising win

Jan 21, 2009 - 6:26 AM GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- In addition to playing well in their own end, the defensemen of the Phoenix Coyotes made an important offensive contribution on Tuesday.

Defenseman Ed Jovanovski snapped a tie early in the third period and Enver Lisin scored twice later in the session as the Coyotes rolled to a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

Derek Morris recorded a goal and an assist, fellow blue-liner Keith Yandle also tallied and Jovanovski added an assist for Phoenix, which has won three in a row at home and five of seven overall.

"We feel good about ourselves, especially beating a team like Detroit," Jovanovski said. "To battle back the way we did and have a really good third period was crucial for our guys. In those moments, that's when you have to rise to the occasion. (In a) 3-3 game, the next goal is going to give you the best advantage to win the game.

"The third period has been our best throughout the year, no question. As the game goes on, you want to get better as a team. But as a team, we would love to play in the first and second periods like we do in the third."

Olli Jokinen netted a goal, captain Shane Doan notched a pair of assists and Ilya Bryzgalov made 34 saves for the Coyotes, who posted their first win over the Red Wings since March 7, 2006.

"We've played solid teams and we've been playing with a lot of grit," Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky said. "Our young guys seem to be getting better every night, and our veteran players have shown outstanding leadership. That, and when you get goaltending like we're getting from Bryzgalov, you can win some hockey games.

"A year ago, we would've found a way to lose that game 6- or 7-3. But maturity, want and the will to win has really come a long way here."

Captain Nicklas Lidstrom netted two power-play goals and Mikael Samuelsson also cashed in during the man advantage for Detroit, which fell to 2-2-1 on its six-game road trip.

"We gave away too many gifts," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "We gifted like three goals, and you can't do that. ... Five points on this road trip (so far). We would like to think we're a better team than that. We have to play a lot better than we did tonight to be successful."

With the contest even at 3-3 after 40 minutes, Jovanovski put the Coyotes ahead for good at 2:06 of the third with his third goal of the season. After receiving a pass from the bottom of the left faceoff circle by Doan, the veteran blue-liner beat goaltender Ty Conklin from the right circle.

"It was kind of a scramble play," Jovanovski said. "Doaner turned up to the net and I got the perfect pass and directed it toward the net."

Lisin doubled the advantage at 6:49, skating around defenseman Brian Rafalski in the right circle before firing the puck past Conklin.

"I try to do that move in practice," Lisin said. "I like that move and wanted to do it in a game, and it worked. ... My speed helps me a lot. It is the most important part of my game."

The 22-year-old Russian sealed the win with 1:44 remaining, completing his second two-goal effort of the campaign with an empty-netter.

"He is a special athlete," Gretzky said. "Here's a guy that came over (to North America) and we knew he had incredible talent. He had a hard time, on and off the ice. Off the ice because of the language barrier, but he stuck it out.

"He was in San Antonio (of the American Hockey League) and could have gone home for triple the money, but he wanted to be an NHL player. We brought him up on the East Coast trip (in November), and he's been nothing but tremendous for us. I know there are a lot of fast skaters but don't know if there is a faster one than he is."

Doan agreed with his coach, even offering a humorous comparison.

"He's an elite player," the All-Star said. "He's a little bit like Forrest (Gump). He's pretty fast, he can make plays and he's playing huge for us, and in every situation. You see him out there on the penalty kill as well."

Conklin, who made 21 saves, was not pleased with his effort.

"Several guys didn't play as well as they would like to, myself included," he said. "Disappointing going into the (All-Star) break. ... These last two games, we took a step backwards, but hopefully it's just a blip."

After concluding its 2-2-0 road trip with a disappointing 6-3 loss at Edmonton on Sunday, Phoenix fell behind in this one as Samuelsson wristed a shot from the left faceoff circle that glanced off the left goalpost and in at 9:59 of the first period.

The Coyotes pulled even when Morris beat Conklin with a one-timer from the top of the right circle with 4:53 to go in the session.

Yandle gave Phoenix the lead at 4:09 of the second with a power-play goal. After Detroit won a faceoff in the right circle, a defender's clearing attempt landed right on the stick of Yandle, whose slap shot from the top of the slot sailed into the top right corner of the net.

Lidstrom forged a 2-2 tie at 7:14 with a slapper from the top of the left circle that beat a screened Bryzgalov, but Jokinen completed a 3-on-1 rush with a shot from the left circle with 4:41 remaining in the period, restoring Phoenix's edge.

"We've got to solidify goaltending, we've got to continue to get better without the puck," Babcock said. "We had lots of scoring chances, but you have to play without the puck, and we weren't able to do that tonight."

With six seconds to go before intermission, Lidstrom again knotted the contest, unleashing a slap shot from the left point that deflected off the stick of Coyotes defenseman David Hale and past Bryzgalov. It was the All-Star's 111th career power-play goal, tying him with Brian Leetch for eighth place on the all-time list among defensemen.

Phoenix, which had gone five straight games without yielding a man-advantage tally, surrendered three in six shorthanded situations against Detroit.