Arizona knocks off Anaheim 2-1 in shootout
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Shane Doan scored the only goal in the shootout with a broken stick, Devan Dubnyk stopped 36 shots and the Arizona Coyotes beat the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 on Saturday night.
Arizona played well in its own end against one of the NHL's most explosive teams and Dubnyk made some big saves when Anaheim picked up the pressure in the third period.
After both teams failed to score in the first three rounds of the shootout, Doan broke his stick while shooting on Frederik Andersen, sending the puck trickling toward the right post. Thrown off by the stick and slow-moving puck, Andersen couldn't react in time to stop the puck from sneaking over the line.
Zbynek Michalek also scored for Arizona, which has won consecutive games for the first time since beating Vancouver and Edmonton on Nov. 14 and 16.
Andersen stopped 28 shots and Rene Bourque scored for Ducks, who are 17-0-6 in one-goal games this season.
Anaheim was arguably the NHL's best team before the holiday break, rising to the top of the NHL with 51 points while tying for the league lead with 23 wins.
The Coyotes have been one of the league's worst teams, struggling at both ends of the ice to lurk near the bottom of the Western Conference. Arizona entered the break with 12 wins — five of those against Edmonton after beating the struggling Oilers 5-1 on Tuesday night.
The Ducks jumped on Arizona early, scoring in the first period when Bourque beat Dubnyk on a one-timer from just outside the crease after Ryan Getzlaf juked his way through Arizona's defense.
Michalek answered 73 seconds later with a hard shot from near the blue line that Andersen had trouble seeing as Arizona's Sam Gagner skated past.
The score held up through the second period, thanks to the goalies.
Andersen had some tough stops, splaying out on one to rob Mikkel Boedker on a rebound. Dubnyk was solid, too, the highlight a snatching glove save on Patrick Maroon's shot from the left circle.
Dubnyk made a few more tough saves and got a break early in the third, when a shot by Andrew Cogliano got by him but hit the crossbar. Dubnyk stopped 18 shots in the period, including a blocker stop on Maroon with a second left in regulation.
Andersen made a big save late in overtime, stopping Antoine Vermette on a semi-breakaway.
