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Luongo helps Canucks down Coyotes in shootout

Dec 23, 2007 - 6:49 AM GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- Roberto Luongo helped the Vancouver Canucks continue the Phoenix Coyotes' misery at home.

Luongo made 27 saves and Taylor Pyatt scored the decisive goal in the fourth round of the shootout as the Canucks posted a 2-1 triumph over the Coyotes on Saturday night Daniel Sedin tallied in regulation for Vancouver, which has won three consecutive games since Luongo returned from his rib injury.

"Obviously it's a big two points for us," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. "We started off a little slow but we made some big saves."

Since missing the four contests with the injury, Luongo has yielded just three goals.

Last season's Vezina and Hart Trophy runner-up, Luongo turned aside 10 shots in the first period, nine more in the next, five in the third and three in overtime.

"It was a close, tight game," Luongo said. "They've been playing well and we knew it was going to be a tough game. It's always exciting when you win and not so exciting when you lose so we'll take this one and move on."

After both teams failed to score in the first round of the bonus format and Daniel Sedin was denied in the second, the Canucks looked to be in trouble after Radim Vrbata deked and flipped a backhanded shot over the right pad of Luongo.

Trevor Linden, however, responded in the third round to keep Vancouver alive by firing a quick wrist shot to the top shelf past goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. Linden is now 5-for-7 in his career in shootout attempts.

After Shane Doan was denied by Luongo with a stick save, Pyatt snapped a shot between the pads of Bryzgalov for his first career shootout goal. Joel Perrault missed the net on his ensuing attempt to secure the victory for the Canucks.

"I've gone three or four times before and it was nice to finally get one," Pyatt said.

The Coyotes, who just completed a 5-1-0 road trip, have won an NHL-low five games at home in 14 contests.

Luongo's performance overshadow a great night by Bryzgalov, who stopped 34 of the 35 shots he faced in regulation.

"The first period was a little boring," said Bryzgalov, who stopped all eight shots he faced in the period. "Maybe everyone already was thinking about Christmas."

Henrik Sedin made a touch pass to his brother Daniel in the left circle and he fired a one-timer past Bryzgalov to give the Canucks a 1-0 edge with 9:49 left in the third period.

"We have been able to come up with goals in key situations and it was another good win for us tonight," Pyatt said.

The Canucks' lead did not last long as defenseman Zbynek Michalek scored his first goal of the season just under three minutes later to knot the score at 1-1. Michalek took a cross-ice pass from Doan and knocked the puck past Luongo with 5:51 left in regulation.

"Tonight we were down 1-0 against a stingy team and we scored a big goal to tie it," Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky said. "I'm very happy with our effort."