Coyotes end losing streak, Sharks stun Anaheim

SamGagner - Cropped

A stunning third period saw the Arizona Coyotes notch their first win in eight NHL games on Thursday, while the San Jose Sharks stunned the Anaheim Ducks.

Sam Gagner inspired Arizona's victory, setting up the Coyotes' second goal and scoring the third, as they tasted success for the first time since January 8 by overcoming the Toronto Maple Leafs.

On their fifth match of an eight-game away trip, the Coyotes looked set for a familiar result when Phil Kessel gave Toronto the lead in the 17th minute of the opening period.

But after keeping the second period scoreless, Arizona exploded in the final stanza, with Oliver Ekman-Larsson scoring after just four seconds, while Gagner set up Martin Hanzal in the fourth minute to put the visitors 2-1 ahead.

Gagner then completed the win by scoring with three-and-a-half minutes remaining, while Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith saved 24 of the Maple Leafs' 25 shots.

The win saw Arizona move to 40 points in the Western Conference's Pacific division but still second-last and with a 14-point gap to the Los Angeles Kings, who sit fifth.

Toronto are sixth in the East's Atlantic division with 48 points.

A five-goal second period saw the San Jose Sharks trump the Anaheim Ducks 6-3.

Barclay Goodrow, Patrick Marleau, Matt Irwin, James Sheppard and Brenden Dillon scored in the penultimate period at SAP Center.

Second-placed San Jose moved within 12 points of Anaheim in the Pacific Division.

The Western Conference's other division-leaders - the Nashville Predators - also lost on Thursday as they succumbed in a shoot-out to the St Louis Blues.

In another top-of-the-table clash, the Central division saw Nashville visit St Louis with the hosts prevailing 5-4 in a goal-feast.

Cedric Paquette notched a hat-trick in the Tampa Bay Lightning's 5-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings that saw the former overhaul the New York Islanders at the top of the East.

The Islanders lost 5-2 to the Boston Bruins, while the Dallas Stars scored struck twice in the final minute to defeat the Ottawa Senators 6-3.

The Buffalo Sabres suffered a 13th consecutive defeat, going down 3-2 to the Edmonton Oilers, while the Philadelphia Flyers won 5-2 over the Winnipeg Jets and the Montreal Canadiens edged out the New York Rangers 1-0.

In other results, the Florida Panthers accounted for the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 and the Minnesota Wild defeated the Calgary Flames 1-0.

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