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 Veteran right winger Shane Doan scored twice, and rookie center
Laurent Dauphin collected his first NHL goal in his third game as
the Coyotes defeated the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 Monday night.
Rookie goaltender Louis Domingue did his part, making 35 saves and
earning an assist for Arizona (19-16-4). Right winger Tobias Rieder
added two assists.
The Coyotes are 6-2-3 in their past 11 games and have an 8-1-2
record against Pacific Division teams.
"It's something as a group we seem to bury our opportunities in
those games," said Doan, who leads the Coyotes with 15 goals. "We've
had great goaltending. That combination has been big.
"We have to find a way to keep it going."
Doan, 39, is enjoying watching the 20-year-old Dauphin develop.
"When you see him smiling and laughing, it's fun," said Doan, who
was drafted the same year Dauphin was born. "He's been really good.
"He's another young kid that has come up and been really good and
gave us some offense. At the same time, he's been playing really
well in his own zone. It's exciting because he's shown a composure
with the puck."
Dauphin made it 2-1 just nine seconds after the Canucks tied the
game in the second period. Rieder appeared to whiff on a shot, but
the puck rolled across the crease to Dauphin, who knocked it into an
empty net.
Having a leader like Doan is helping Dauphin adapt to the NHL.
"I think he's one of the greatest guys I have met," Dauphin said.
"He has been so nice with me, and he is the real deal, a real
captain you want with you."
Doan has held a hot hand lately, scoring nine goals in the past
seven games.
"It feels good to contribute," he said. "It's fun when you are
contributing, and it's fun when you win."
The Coyotes had to weather a momentum shift in the third period.
Arizona looked to have taken a 4-1 lead on a goal by defenseman
Michael Stone, but the score was disallowed after a Vancouver
coach's challenge showed Coyotes left winger Max Domi was offside on
the play.
Just nine seconds later, Canucks left winger Daniel Sedin scored to
make it a one-goal game.
"It's a big play by their veteran guys to come down and score," Doan
said. "It was big for us to learn from that and understand we have
to be better than that."
Center Bo Horvat got the other goal for Vancouver (15-16-9). The
Canucks have scored two goals or fewer in nine of their past 11
games.
"It was one of those games against Arizona where there's not a lot
of room out there and you have to be patient," Vancouver center
Henrik Sedin said. "We should have done a much better job in front
of their net.
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"I don't think we had enough Grade A scoring chances."
Daniel Sedin remained in the game despite an ugly incident in the
first period in which he was hit in the mouth by a puck. He skated
to the bench, leaving a trail of blood, and went to the dressing
room but returned before the period ended.
"I think he lost three or four teeth," Henrik Sedin said about his
twin brother. "Losing a few teeth is not a big deal. That shouldn't
stop you from playing."
Horvat's goal was his third of the season but his first in 27 games.
It also was Vancouver's first power-play goal in 21 man-advantages
over 10 games.
"After 27 games, it feels great," Horvat said. "It boosts the
confidence and stuff like that.
"At the same time, it would have been nice to get a win."
Horvat said the Canucks didn't make life hard on the Coyotes'
goalie.
"We did a great job getting pucks to the net, but I don't think we
had enough traffic," he said. "We need to get in the goalie's eyes a
little more.
"It seemed like he saw everything tonight. We will have to work on
that."
Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom made 26 saves.
NOTES: Vancouver LW Brandon Prust missed the game due to a leg
injury he sustained Friday. ... Canucks RW Alexandre Grenier was
recalled from AHL Utica. ... Rookie RW Jake Virtanen is expected to
rejoin the Canucks after playing for Team Canada at the World Junior
Championships. ... Vancouver G Ryan Miller (groin), LW Sven
Baertschi (neck), C Brandon Sutter (sports hernia), D Luca Sbisa
(hand) and D Dan Hamhuis (facial fractures) didn't dress. ... The
Canucks continue their homestand against the Carolina Hurricanes on
Wednesday. ... Coyotes C Boyd Gordon returned to the lineup after
missing four games with an upper-body injury. ... Arizona D Zbynek
Michalek (upper body) and C Martin Hanzal (lower-body) didn't play.
... C Brad Richardson played his first game back in Vancouver since
signing with the Coyotes in July. ... Arizona scratched RW Steve
Downie and LW John Scott. ... The Coyotes end their three-game road
trip Thursday in Calgary.
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