Coyotes revive play-off hopes
02/07/2012 06:15:06 AM
The Phoenix Coyotes gave their NHL play-off ambitions a boost on Monday with a 3-1 home win over the Detroit Red Wings.
Goals from Boyd Gordon and Martin Hanzal saw the Coyotes out to a 2-0 lead early in the second period, but Johan Franzen scored for the visitors late in the second term to trim the deficit.
Hanzal's second goal with 29 seconds remaining in the match put the result beyond doubt and snapped a seven-game losing streak for Phoenix against Detroit.
Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith was instrumental in the win, stopping 30 of 31 shots, as Phoenix moved level with the Dallas Stars on 56 points in the Western Conference.
The Stars are in ninth place in the standings and the Coyotes 10th, with both trailing the eighth-placed Minnesota Wild by two points.
The Toronto Maple Leafs posted their third successive win with a 6-3 triumph over the Edmonton Oilers.
Right wing Phil Kessel scored two goals for Toronto and centre Mikhail Grabovski contributed two assists as Toronto leapfrogged Ottawa into seventh place in the Eastern Conference table.
And the Anaheim Ducks prevailed in the eighth round of a shoot-out to secure a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames.