SLAM! Sports
SLAM! Hockey
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
COLUMNS
NHL
The Teams
Full Schedule
Monthly Schedule
Standings
Statistics
Rosters
Injury list
Movement
Trades
Hits Gallery
INTERACTIVE
JUNIOR
MORE HOCKEY
ALSO ON SLAM!
Coyotes 3, KINGS 2
Tkachuk scores Coyotes winner
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Keith Tkachuk scored the go-ahead goal with 13:53 remaining and Mike Sullivan ended a 60-game drought with a shorthanded goal as the Phoenix Coyotes beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on Thursday night.
Trevor Letowski also scored for the Coyotes, and Bob Essensa made 29 saves. Essensa was particularly brilliant in the third period, stopping all 15 shots he faced.
Aki Berg and Donald Audette scored, and Glen Murray had two assists for the Kings, who lost for only the second time in their last 12 games (8-2-2).
Audette put Los Angeles ahead 2-1 at 3:42 of the second period, getting the puck deep in the right circle from Murray and lifting it into the top right corner of the net while Essensa was on his knees.
The Coyotes tied it at 11:24 when Sullivan beat Dan Bylsma on a faceoff deep in the Kings' zone, J.J. Daignault hit the right post with a 55-foot slap shot from the left point and Letowski converted the rebound with goalie Jamie Storr out of position.
Tkachuk scored the deciding goal from the slot when he one-timed a pass from Jeremy Roenick and beat Storr to the glove side with a 25-footer for the Phoenix star's sixth goal. Storr started his fifth straight game in place of Stephane Fiset, sidelined by what the Kings claim is only a bruised right (stick) hand.
Roenick was serving a roughing penalty when Sullivan opened the scoring at 17:40 of the first period with his first goal since Dec. 9, 1988 -- which also was shorthanded. Dallas Drake took a 30-foot wrist shot from the right circle, using Kings defenseman Frantisek Kaberle as a screen, and Sullivan deflected the puck past Storr's stick hand for Phoenix's fifth shorthanded goal.
The Coyotes' lead lasted only 49 seconds, however, as Berg got a cross-ice pass at the top of the right circle from Murray and beat Essensa to the stick side with a 35-foot slap shot along the ice. Berg's third NHL goal and second against Phoenix ended a 91-game drought by the fourth-year defenseman, dating back to April 5, 1997.
Summary
----------------------------- Phoenix 1 1 1--3 Los Angeles 1 1 0--2 ----------------------------- FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Phoenix, Sullivan 1 (shorthanded) (Drake), 17:40. 2, Los Angeles, Berg 1 (G Murray, Audette), 18:29. Penalties: Gill, Pho (interference), 0:32; Laperriere, L.A. (Obstr holding), 13:59; Roenick, Pho (roughing), 16:23; Norstrom, L.A. (hooking), 19:25; Numminen, Pho (hooking), 19:45; Tkachuk, Pho ( double roughing minor), 20:00; L Barrie, L.A. (roughing), 20:00. SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Los Angeles, Audette 9 (G Murray, Smolinski), 3:42. 4, Phoenix, Letowski 5 (Daigneault, Sullivan), 11:24. Penalties: Tocchet, Pho (high sticking), 5:21. THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 5, Phoenix, Tkachuk 6 (Roenick, Green), 6:07. Penalties: Norstrom, L.A. (cross checking), 1:18; Quint, Pho (Obstr tripping), 7:08; Carney, Pho (holding), 13:33. Shots on goal: --------------------------------- Phoenix 7 11 10--28 Los Angeles 5 11 15--31 --------------------------------- Power-play Conversions: Pho - 0 of 3, Los - 0 of 6. Goalies: Phoenix, Essensa (31 shots, 29 saves; record: 4-0-1). Los Angeles, Storr (28, 25; record: 5-1-1). A:13,406. Referees: Schick, Trottier. Linesmen: Lazarowich, Sharrers.
 Bert's back on blades Blue Jays boot game Bombers drop Peterson Felicien rebuilds race | Visit our Polls Archive |