Sharks 3, Coyotes 2

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GLENDALE, Ariz. - The last time the Coyotes and San Jose Sharks played at Jobing.com Arena on Nov. 9, Phoenix scored four unanswered goals after the Sharks took a 2-0 lead and won.

The script was flipped on Saturday night.

This time, the Coyotes led 2-0 lead at 3:13 of the first period, but the Sharks scored three unanswered goals and won 3-2 in front of 14,007. Two of San Jose’s goals came soon after Phoenix’s, and the score was tied 2-2 before the game was six minutes old.

“It was frustrating because I thought we played real well, especially early in the game,” Coyotes Head Coach Wayne Gretzky said.

Joe Pavelski scored twice for the Sharks, including the game-winning goal with 8:37 left in the third period, and defenseman Rob Blake also scored for San Jose (20-3-1).

“For them to get back (in the game) that quickly, it helps out their bench a lot,” captain Shane Doan said. “It kind of resets the game and wastes the big start.”

Derek Morris scored his second goal in as many games and rookie Kyle Turris notched his first goal in 19 games for the Coyotes.

Morris put the Coyotes ahead 1-0 at 28 seconds of the first period with a blast from the point that beat Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov. Phoenix (10-11-2) quickly added to its lead on its first of five power plays. After an Ed Jovanovski shot from the blue line, Doan found Turris wide open, and the rookie roofed a shot for his second goal of the season at 3:13 for a 2-0 lead.

Then the momentum turned.

Pavelski scored his first goal on the Sharks' first shot of the game. With the puck bouncing near the crease, Pavelski fired it past Coyotes goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov at 4:15 to cut Phoenix's lead in half.

That lead dissolved entirely 71 seconds later after Blake fired a shot past Bryzgalov from the far right boards to tie the score at 2 on the Sharks' second shot of the game. Gretzky immediately replaced Bryzgalov with backup Mikael Tellqvist.

“They get two shots on goal and it’s 2-2 and that’s not good enough, and quite frankly that was the difference in the hockey game,” Gretzky said.

With the score tied, the Coyotes didn’t go without chances.

Minutes into the second period, Martin Hanzal and Mikkel Boedker stared at open nets, but neither could cleanly gather the puck and get a shot on net.

With 12:30 left in the second period, during a three-on-two rush, forward Enver Lisin released a shot that went off the side of the post and the score remained tied.

Pavelski broke the deadlock with his second goal of the game at 11:23 of the third period.

“We had opportunities, but in the third period they picked up their intensity level a little bit,” Doan said. “Play was in our zone quite a bit in the third. We played desperate at the end, but it was a little late.”

The Coyotes mustered only four shots in the third period, but the best of their chances came in the final minute with Tellqvist off for an extra attacker. Kevin Porter couldn’t put a backhand past Nabakov and San Jose escaped with their league-leading 20th win of the season.

Phoenix ended the game on a 22-second power play but couldn’t capitalize.

NOTES

• Coyotes forward Steven Reinprecht played in his 500th NHL game on Saturday.

• With one goal and 11 assists in 19 games this season, Coyotes defenseman Keith Yandle has matched his point total from last season when he finished with five goals and seven assists in 43 games. Yandle's 12 points lead all Coyotes defensemen and rank him tied for third on the team in scoring.

• The Sharks have been dominant since Feb. 21, 2008. Since that time, the Sharks have a regular-season record of 38-5-3.

• Tellqvist has been stellar in net over the past three games. The Swedish netminder has stopped 95 of the 99 shots he has faced. Over the last three contests, Tellqvist has registered a 1.33 goals-against average and a .959 save percentage.

• Coyotes center Martin Hanzal led all players with six hits.

• Through 23 games, Doan leads the Coyotes with 11 goals and 22 points.

• Coyotes defenseman Zbynek Michalek led all players in ice-time with 23:09.

• San Jose forward Riley Armstrong was called up before Saturday’s game from the American Hockey League and made his NHL debut.

• San Jose’s last regulation loss came against the Coyotes on Nov. 9.

• Sharks forward Tomas Plihal left the game after the first period and didn’t return. He replaced forward Jonathan Cheechoo, who was injured during the Sharks last meeting.

Joe Pavelski Shane Doan Martin Hanzal