Nov 2, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; Phoenix Coyotes center Antoine Vermette (50) scores the winning goal against San Jose Sharks goalie Antti Niemi (31) during a shootout at SAP Center at San Jose. Phoenix Coyotes won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
The Coyotes hosted the San Jose Sharks on Friday night at Jobing.com Arena. San Jose came into the game following the break 5-5-1 in the month of December, while Phoenix entered Friday’s game 4-3-3 in their last 10.
The contest featured power play goals coming from Radim Vrbata (11) and Patrick Marleau (17).
Both the Sharks and Coyotes tallied over 30 shots; Sharks with 32 and the Coyotes with 37. David Moss’s two goals bolstered Phoenix into the lead halfway through the second period, but Marleau’s PPG and Brent Burns’ wrist shot propelled the Sharks into the lead. That lead held up until halfway through the third when Vrbata capitalized on a Tommy Wingels penalty.
The game turned out to be an exciting one, and became the third shootout in a row for San Jose.
In the first round of the shootout the teams exchanged goals – Boedkar and Couture – but in the second round Radim Vrbata was stoned by Niemi and Marleau scored his “second” of the game to put Oliver Ekman-Larsson in a do-or-die situation. Ekman-Larsson was unable to score, and the Sharks came away with their sixth win in the month of December, and their second win of the season against Phoenix.
The Sharks will travel back home Sunday night to play the red hot Ducks, while Phoenix will travel to Anaheim to play the Ducks on Saturday.
Tyler Jones, Howlin’ Hockey