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Gretzky gets win No. 99 against former team

Feb 17, 2008 - 7:04 AM GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- Famous for wearing No. 99 during his 20-year NHL playing career that included eight seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, Wayne Gretzky picked up his 99th career victory as a coach against his former club.

Radim Vrbata scored with just over seven minutes remaining in the third period to snap a tie and All-Star defenseman Ed Jovanovski had a goal and two assists as the Phoenix Coyotes edged the Kings, 4-3, on Saturday night in the first game of a home-and-home series.

Gretzky, in his third season as the Coyotes' coach, sits just one win away from 100 in his career. He will be hoping to reach that milestone Monday, when his club travels to Los Angeles.

"It doesn't really have any significance," Gretzky said of the 99th victory. "We want to win every time we play."

Captain Shane Doan and Niko Kapanen recorded two assists apiece for Phoenix, which climbed within one point of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

"Every game and every point is going to count right now," Vrbata said.

The Coyotes carried a 3-1 advantage into the third, but Dustin Brown and Alexander Frolov scored in the first half of the period to tie the contest. But a tripping penalty on Los Angeles defenseman Jaroslav Modry near the midway point helped turn the momentum back in Phoenix's favor.

After the Kings failed on multiple opportunities to clear the puck out of their zone, Vrbata gave the Coyotes a 4-3 edge with 7:06 left in the contest. Vrbata took a pass from Jovanovski and fired a sharp-angle shot between the pads of goaltender Jason LaBarbera for his 26th goal of the season.

"When you have a 5-on-3, you have to score a goal," Vrbata said. "We didn't score on the 5-on-3, but we stuck with it. It took us longer than we liked, but finally it counted, so it's good."

Brown pulled Los Angeles within 3-2 just 37 seconds into the third period, scoring a power-play goal on a short wrist shot, and Frolov tied it at 8:38 by burying a rebound after a scramble in front of the crease.

"Especially in the third, I think we really poured it on and battled back," Brown said. "For us right now, it's about the process and doing things right. Ever since Christmas, I think we've been playing better hockey."

Joel Perrault snapped a 1-1 tie with 4:31 left in the first, when he one-timed a pass from Doan off the crossbar from the bottom of the left faceoff circle. The goal was Perrault's first since January 15.

Daniel Winnik doubled the lead at 6:44 of the second period. Winnik deked netminder Dan Cloutier to the ice with a forehand move, then pulled the puck back and bounced a backhander off Brad Stuart's skate and in as the defenseman skated into the crease.

Making his second start of the season following his recall from the minors on February 7, Cloutier allowed three goals on 21 shots before being replaced by LaBarbera after two periods due to flu-like symptoms. LaBarbera made 15 saves in relief.

"(Cloutier) almost passed out on his way back to the (locker room)," Kings coach Marc Crawford said.

Jovanovski gave Phoenix a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 5:50 of the first period, beating Cloutier with a blast from the high slot. The Coyotes have scored at least one man-advantage tally in six of their last seven games.

"I think this time of year, special teams are going to decide games," Jovanovski said.

Enforcer Raitis Ivanans tied the game at 8:30, firing a wrist shot under goalie Ilya Bryzgalov's glove from the middle of the right circle.

Bryzgalov made 22 saves for his second straight victory after a five-game winless stretch.