Phoenix Coyotes hold on for 4-2 win over Columbus Blue Jackets
Shane Doan scored late in the final period to give the Phoenix Coyotes a 4-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.
Vernon Fiddler, Scottie Upshall and Sami Lepisto also lit the lamp for Phoenix, who won their third game in eight play-offs. Ilya Bryzgalov turned aside 26 of 28 shots in the victory. Fiddler said after the game, “It’s either going to be them or us in the
playoffs so we have to start pecking away at these Western Conference teams.”
R.J. Umberger and Jakub Voracek each scored a goal for Columbus, who have lost two consecutive games on the heels of a three-game win streak. Mathieu Garon turned aside 29 of 33 shots in the loss.
“We can’t feel sorry for ourselves,” said Scott Arniel, whose club was leapfrogged by Phoenix in the Western Conference standings. “It’s too tight of a race and there’s too much going on.”
Both teams could not open the scoring in the first period. Upshall broke the deadlock by scoring for Coyotes in the seventh minute of the second period. He got a backhander rebound just inside the left post from the side of the net, and tipped the puck home
to give the Coyotes a 1-0 lead.
Less than three minutes later, the Coyotes extended their lead to 2-0 with Lepisto’s third goal of the season. Following the scrum, he got a loose puck to the left side of the net, took one step to his right and fired a shot over the glove of a straggling
Garon. Just two minutes later, the Blue Jackets cut the deficit to 2-1 with Umberger's 14th goal of the season. Umberger snapped a shot at the net, but it was saved by Bryzgalov. Umberger got a rebound on his shot and forced the puck home.
“We got the power-play goal and it felt like we were on the cusp of taking the lead,” Umberger said. “But then they got a redirect goal.”
Voracek tied the game at 2-2 for Columbus in the eighth minute of the final period. Derick Brassard sent a long pass to Voracek from the left circle, who successfully one-timed it past Bryzgalov. Brassard said, "I saw Voracek near the other post, so I just
tried to freeze the defenceman to create room for the pass."
Phoenix took a 3-2 lead with less than nine minutes remaining in the third period, as Keith Yandle snapped a wrist shot from near the left half- wall, which was deflected into the net by Doan from near the crease.
After just 52 seconds, Fiddler's fourth goal in 22 games, settled the Coyotes nerves. Adrian Aucoin’s one-timer from the right point, deflected straight towards the Fiddler, who was all alone at the right post and easily tapped the puck home for a two-goal
advantage.
"It was a strange game, but we'll take the points," said Phoenix coach Dave Tippett. "There was not a lot of excitement, but we got a lead, and that seemed to give us more energy."
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