Coyotes 4, Ducks 0
COYOTES 4, DUCKS 0: After securing his 1,000th career point, Ray Whitney scored a goal and Mike Smith recorded his second straight shutout as host Phoenix moved into a tie for first place in the Pacific Division with Los Angeles.
Whitney became the 79th player in NHL history to reach the milestone when he sent a cross-ice pass to Radim Vrbata, who beat Jeff Deslauriers with a wrist shot high to the glove side on a 5-on-3 power play. Vrbata's 33rd goal came at 16:14 of the second period.
Forty seconds later, Whitney scored with the man advantage for his 24th goal, sending the Jobing.com Arena crowd into a frenzy.
Smith made 21 of his 44 saves in the first period and preserved his seventh shutout and 18th career when he robbed Bobby Ryan from point-blank range during a power play early in the third period.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Antoine Vermette also had goals as Phoenix won two straight games for the first time since February.
Larsson stepped out of the box after serving a hooking penalty and took a feed from Mikkel Boedker at center ice. He then went in alone on Deslauriers and slid a backhander between his pads at 6:10.
Vermette made it 2-0 when he deflected Derek Morris’ shot from the point with the shaft of his stick at 11:03 of the second.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Whitney, who turns 40 next month, has played 1,226 games with San Jose, Edmonton, Florida, Columbus, Detroit, Carolina and Phoenix. … Vrabata’s 33 goals are the most in franchise history since Nelson Emerson’s 32 for Winnipeg in 1993-94. ... Deslauriers made 25 saves in his third start as the Ducks rested Jonas Hiller, who has started 70 of 78 games. … Ekman-Larsson is fifth among NHL defenseman with 13 goals.