Coyotes 3, Canucks 1
Radim Vrbata and captain Shane Doan scored during a five-minute power play late in the third period and Jason LaBarbera turned aside 46 shots as the Phoenix Coyotes snapped the Vancouver Canucks' seven-game winning streak with a 3-1 triumph on Friday.
Lee Stempniak added his 17th goal of the season with 65 seconds remaining in the session for Phoenix (39-23-11), which has won five in a row and six of seven (6-0-1). With the victory, the Coyotes are now one point behind the Pacific Division-leading San Jose Sharks (41-23-8).
After Alex Burrows committed a five-minute boarding penalty and 10-minute game misconduct late in the third period, Phoenix finally converted on its fifth power play of the evening.
Eric Belanger won a faceoff in the offensive end and found Vrbata, who wired a shot past Roberto Luongo for his 18th goal of the season and second in as many contests. The 29-year-old Vrbata has collected two goals and three assists during his four-game point streak.
Doan doubled the advantage 88 seconds later and Stempniak answered defenseman Christian Ehrhoff's tally to preserve the win.
Making his first start since Feb. 23, LaBarbera improved to 4-1-0 in his career against the Canucks. The 31-year-old British Columbia native upped his season mark to 7-6-3.
Luongo finished with 26 saves for Northwest Division champion Vancouver (47-17-9), which still leads the Central Division-leading Detroit Red Wings (43-20-8) by nine points in the Western Conference.