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Coyotes take down Penguins

Feb 2, 2014 - 5:55 AM Glendale, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Smith stopped 23 shots as the Phoenix Coyotes took a 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.

Mike Ribeiro had a goal and an assist, while Radim Vrbata and Zbynek Michalek also scored for the Coyotes, who had dropped four of six coming in.

"This was one of the more complete games we've played this year, that's for sure," said Phoenix head coach Dave Tippett. "Everybody was real competitive and it was a fast game."

Evgeni Malkin had the only goal of the game for the Penguins, who had won four of five entering the contest. Marc-Andre Fleury gave up all three goals on 30 shots in the loss.

"I thought we played a real good game and their guy made some really strong saves," said Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby. "They played a pretty tight game and when you don't cash in on your chances you're not going to win."

Phoenix got on the board at 12:42 of the first period as Ribeiro was able to whip home a wrister from the right circle for his 14th of the season.

It was a 2-0 game at 10:50 of the second when Oliver Ekman-Larsson sent a pass from the left point to the right where Michalek blasted it home.

Malkin got one back for the Pens five minutes later as he took a pass from James Neal at the right circle and lifted it into the net for his 16th of the season.

Phoenix, though, got the goal back at 4:13 of the third as a neutral zone turnover was picked up by Vrbata and from the left wing he beat Fleury cleanly with a wrister.

Smith needed to make just five stops in the third to help Phoenix to the win.

Game Notes

Phoenix hosts Dallas on Tuesday ... Pittsburgh returns home to face Ottawa on Monday ... Pittsburgh had won three straight over Phoenix ... Phoenix was 0- for-4 on the power play, while Pittsburgh went 0-for-2.