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Vrbata lifts Coyotes over Blackhawks in SO

Feb 13, 2011 - 6:45 AM Glendale, AZ (Sports Network) - Radim Vrbata scored the lone goal of the shootout to help lift Phoenix over Chicago, 3-2.

Vrbata's goal came in the second round, when he went wide to his right and then brought the puck over to his backhand and roofed it past Corey Crawford. Ilya Bryzgalov then turned away Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa's chances to seal the win.

"I was able to hang onto it a little bit, kind of wait a little bit more and found an opening," Vrbata said of his shootout tally.

He and Taylor Pyatt both had regulation goals for the Coyotes, who have won four straight including a 3-2 overtime win over Dallas on Wednesday.

Bryzgalov turned away 31-of-33 shots for the victors.

Duncan Keith and Troy Brouwer each notched regulation goals for the Blackhawks, who have dropped two straight games -- both in shootouts. The defending champs are also losers of six of eight contests overall.

The Hawks knotted the game at two apiece with just over four minutes left in regulation on their second power-play goal of the game. With some nice puck movement at the point, Brian Campbell set up Keith's one-timer at the right circle that found the back of the net.

Neither team was able to score in overtime with the best chance coming on Kane's 1-on-1 rush, but Bryzgalov turned away the wrist shot from point-blank range.

"I thought we had a good third period and we had a good look there before the shootout," said Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville.

Vrbata put the Coyotes on the board first, with just under five minutes remaining in the opening period on a breakaway wrister that beat Crawford low.

Pyatt gave the Coyotes a 2-0 lead 42 seconds into the second period when his wrist shot from the top of the right circle banged off of both posts before crossing the goal line.

Chicago got on the board with just under seven minutes left in the middle frame thanks to Brouwer's power-play goal from the right side.

Game Notes

The Coyotes have taken five of their past six meetings with the Blackhawks, including a 2-1 win at Chicago on November 10 in the first meeting this season...Phoenix has won three straight at home over Chicago and Bryzgalov improved to 7-5-3 lifetime versus the 'Hawks...Hossa earned his 800th career point by assisting Brouwer's goal...Dave Bolland had two assists in the loss.