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 "You'd think that after 20 years I'd already be there," he quipped.
Doan can stop worrying about the advance of father time. The
record-breaking point didn't come in epic fashion. It came on an
anticlimactic, after-the-fact assist, but with two goals sandwiched
around it, Doan was emphatic enough in passing Dale Hawerchuk to
become the franchise leader in points at 931. Just as important, he
led the Coyotes to much-needed a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames on
Friday at Gila River Arena.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak (0-4-1) for the Coyotes
and pulled them within three points of Nashville for the final wild
card spot in the Western Conference. It also snapped Calgary's
three-game winning streak.
Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and right winger Anthony Duclair
also scored for Arizona, which got 26 saves from Louis Domingue.
Right winger Joe Colborne scored for Calgary, which got 31 saves
from Joan Hiller.
Doan opened the scoring with a milestone goal in a season chock full
of them for the Coyotes captain.
Doan took a feed from defenseman Kevin Connauton and pulled up at
the left circle. Using Flames defenseman Kris Russell and Coyotes
center Tyler Gaudet as a screen, Doan slid the puck between goalie
Jonas Hiller's pads for a 1-0 lead at 3:31 of the first period.
The goal was Doan's team-leading 20th of the season, giving him 13
seasons of 20 or more goals. Only Jaromir Jagr (18), Jarome Iginla
(16) and Marian Hossa (14) have more among active players. Doan is
even with Vincent Lecavalier.
Ekman-Larsson widened the lead to 2-0 on a four-on-three power play.
Three Coyotes converged on the faceoff to make sure the puck drew
back to Ekman-Larsson at the point before his slap shot beat Hiller
low to the stick side at 6:51 of the second period for his 16th goal
of the season.
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Ekman-Larsson is second among NHL defensemen in goals, two behind
San Jose's Brent Burns.
Duclair made it 3-0 just 1:53 later when he collected his own
rebound and banged the puck past Hiller out of midair from the deep
slot on another power play. Duclair is tied for fifth among NHL
rookies with 15 goals.
Colborne scored from the deep slot at 10:43 of the third period, but
Doan restored the three-goal lead with his 21st goal of the season
off a fed from Ekman-Larsson at 17:32 on a power play. The goal also
gave Doan the franchise record for career power-plays goals at 123.
NOTES: Flames G Karri Ramo suffered a knee injury in Thursday's game
in San Jose in a collision with Sharks LW Joonas Donskoi. Calgary
placed Ramo on injured reserve Friday and recalled G Joni Ortio from
Adirondack of the AHL to back up G Jonas Hiller. There is no
timeline for Ramo's return. ... Flames GM Brad Treliving said Friday
that he still has no timeline on a ruling for D Dennis Wideman, who
cross-checked a linesman on Jan. 27. Wideman appealed his 20-game
suspension and met with league officials on Wednesday. ... Coyotes G
Mike Smith practiced with the team on Thursday; the first time he
has done so since undergoing lower abdomen surgery in mid-December.
Coach Dave Tippett stressed that Smith is still a long way from
playing. This is just part of the rehab process. GM Don Maloney said
last week he would be surprised if Smith plays any games in
February.
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