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Recap: Coyotes 5, Predators 3
COYOTES 5, PREDATORS 3: Martin Hanzal, Radim Vrbata and Taylor Pyatt had second-period goals as Phoenix outgunned visiting Nashville to take a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series.
The Coyotes used a rare offensive barrage to seize a second-period lead and fight off a pair of Predators comeback attempts. The victory puts Phoenix in control of the best-of-seven series, which shifts to Nashville for Game 3 on Wednesday night.
Phoenix struck first at 8:32 of the opening period, as Antoine Vermette redirected a Keith Yandle feed past Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne for his fifth goal of the postseason.
Andrei Kostitsyn drew the Predators even with 2:47 remaining in the frame. The veteran forward gathered a slick pass from Kevin Klein before breaking in alone and beating Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith.
Hanzal put the Coyotes back in front 3:47 into the second, finishing off a deft play in which Vrbata faked he was going around the net before finding Hanzal in front. Vrbata extended the lead just over three minutes later, converting a shot from the slot after Nashville’s David Legwand inexplicably sent the puck in front of his own net.
Patric Hornqvist trimmed the deficit at 11:20 after a Ryan Suter blast from the point deflected off his shin pad with the Predators enjoying a man advantage. The momentum was short-lived, however, as Pyatt pounced on a rebound and put it past Rinne.
Nashville took advantage of a power-play opportunity early in the third period to close the gap when Suter scored, but Doan restored the two-goal lead with a redirection of a Derek Morris point shot at 3:36.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Coyotes D Rostislav Klesla left the game early in the first period after taking a puck to the face. He returned in the second frame wearing a full cage. … Vermette scored just three times in 22 games for the Coyotes in the regular season. … The teams, which ranked in the top eight in fewest goals against during the regular season, having combined to score 15 goals in the first two games of the series. … Sunday marked just the second time in eight playoff games that Phoenix didn’t need overtime.
