Coyotes 5, Islanders 1
Captain Shane Doan recorded his first career hat trick and Mike Smith turned aside 31 shots as the Phoenix Coyotes breezed to a 5-1 home triumph over the New York Islanders on Saturday.
Former Islanders first-round draft pick Taylor Pyatt scored to snap a 14-game goalless skid and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson also tallied for Phoenix, which posted just its second win in eight games.
After being held off the scoresheet for six straight contests, Doan opened the scoring 1:41 into the game and gave the Coyotes a 2-1 lead after converting a breakaway at 1:39 of the second period.
Playing in his 1,161st game of his 16-year career, Doan capped the hat trick with a slap shot past Evgeni Nabokov with one second remaining in the third period.
Pyatt gave the Coyotes a 3-1 edge with his first goal since Dec. 6 and Ekman-Larsson capped the three-goal second period with a blast from the point.
Smith held the fort from there, improving to 3-0-0 in his career versus the Islanders by stopping 97 of 100 total shots.
Frans Nielsen netted a power-play goal and Nabokov finished with 20 saves while making his eighth consecutive start for New York, which has dropped two straight after winning three in a row.