Coyotes 3, Sharks 0
Mike Smith made 31 saves to earn his first shutout of the season and help the Phoenix Coyotes to a rare win in San Jose with Saturday’s 3-0 triumph over the Sharks.
Radim Vrbata, Boyd Gordon and Patrick O’Sullivan scored for the Coyotes, who had dropped seven straight in San Jose.
Smith stopped seven shots in the first period, 11 in the second and 13 in the third for his 12th career shutout. He improved to 6-0-2 in his last eight starts.
Vrbata opened the scoring at 14:21 of the first when he converted from close range after Ray Whitney’s shot deflected off the pads of Thomas Greiss. It was Vrbata’s sixth of the season. Gordon the doubled the lead with a backhanded finish with 32 seconds left in the period.
O'Sullivan made it 3-0 midway through the third to help the Coyotes win the opener of a stretch that sees them play five road games in 10 days.
The Sharks, who managed nine shots under their league-best home average, had won 10 of 11 in the series.