Phoenix Coyotes thrash Colorado Avalanche 3-0
Ilya Bryzgalov made his second consecutive shutout by turning away 25 shots to lift the Phoenix Coyotes to a 3-0 victory against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night.
An excited Bryzgalov said after the game, “Right now, the way we are playing, a team has to earn it, make plays to score a goal, and not give them a goal. When you take care of your net like we took care of ours the last two games, you increase your chances
to win games.”
Radim Vrbata lit the lamp twice for the Coyotes, who have won back-to-back contests to finish 2-1 on a three-game home stand. Scottie Upshall also found the back of the net for the victors.
Bryzgalov made six saves in the opening period, eight in the middle and then stopped 11 shots in the final stanza, for his fifth shutout of the 2010-11 season and the 21st of his career.
Craig Anderson was the hard-luck loser, blocking 23 shots and allowing a goal in each period as Colorado lost their fourth consecutive game, falling to 1-6 in their previous seven contests overall.
Avalanche head Coach Joe Sacco said after the game, "We're going through a tough sequence right now. We just have to find a way to be better, there's no question."
Phoenix opened the scoring on the night to take a 1-0 lead just three minutes into the first session. Ray Whitney set up the play by stealing the puck from behind in Avalanche’s zone and passing it to Martin Hanzal. He rushed in on net and crossed it to
Vrbata, who fired a one-timer for his 12th goal of the season.
It stayed a one-goal game until Upshall gave the Coyotes a 2-0 lead with a little more than two minutes left in the middle frame. Kyle Turris tried to rip a shot from the slot, but the puck went wide to the right side of the net and Upshall was there to
knock it into the net.
Phoenix closed out the game 3-0 on a power play halfway through the final frame, as Vrbata cleaned up his own rebound in front of the net for his 13th goal of the season. Ray Whitney earned his second assist of the game on the play.
Phoenix Coach Dave Tippett praised his team’s performance. He said, “We talked the other night about taking steps forward, doing the things we think we have to do to be successful, and it was good to see we carried on a lot of those things tonight.”
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