Penguins 3, Coyotes 1
Daniel Winnik snapped a tie with 7:39 remaining in the second period and visiting Pittsburgh went on to snap its four-game losing streak.
Brandon Sutter scored a fluke power-play goal while captain Sidney Crosby added an empty-netter and an assist for the Penguins, who moved two points ahead of Washington for third place in the Metropolitan Division while remaining two behind the New York Islanders for second. Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves as Pittsburgh salvaged the finale of its three-game road trip (1-2-0) by recording more than one tally for just the second time in eight contests.
Tobias Rieder netted a short-handed goal for the Coyotes, who have lost seven games in a row (0-6-1) and 17 of their last 18 (1-16-1). Mike Smith turned aside 34 shots but suffered the loss despite allowing two goals or fewer for the fifth time in his last six starts.
Arizona wasted little time getting on the board, as Rieder received a lead pass from David Moss in the slot after getting ahead of Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang and beat Fleury 94 seconds into the contest. The Penguins pulled even during a power play in the second period thanks to an ill-advised play by Smith.
After the goaltender stopped a dump-in behind the net, his clearing attempt up the middle caromed off Sutter in front and over the goal line at 8:45. Winnik put Pittsburgh ahead less than four minutes later, deflecting Letang's one-timer from the left point under the crossbar for his first goal in 11 games since being acquired from Toronto.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Penguins were without C Evgeni Malkin, who missed his fourth consecutive game due to a lower-body injury. ... Pittsburgh RW Steve Downie played in his 400th NHL game. ... The Coyotes have scored fewer than three goals in each of their last 10 contests and fewer than two in six of their last seven.