GLENDALE, Ariz. — Sam Gagner got the tying goal with 40.4 seconds to play in regulation, then scored the winner in the fourth round of the shootout to lift the Edmonton Oilers to a 3-2 win over the Phoenix Coyotes on Friday night.
Oilers defenceman Justin Schultz also scored and Ben Scrivens stopped 24 shots through overtime.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored the tying goal for the Coyotes in the second period, and Kyle Chipchura put them ahead with 7:18 left in the third. Thomas Greiss also stopped 24 shots for Phoenix.
It was a tough loss for the Coyotes, who are vying for the last wild-card spot in the Western Cconference. Phoenix moved one point ahead of ninth-place Dallas, but the Stars have two games in hand.
Gagner scored on a deflection, backhanding the puck into the net after a shot from behind the net by teammate Jordan Eberle to force overtime.
Schultz gave his team the early lead in the final minute of the first period. He took a centring pass from Eberle and fired a wrist shot that bounced on the ice and over Greiss’ outstretched glove hand.
The second period saw the Oilers pepper Greiss with more shots early on, but the Phoenix goalie responded with saves. He sat down to stop a puck trickling through players 5:11 into the period, and came up big a couple of times during an Edmonton power play two minutes later.
The offensive struggles continued for the Coyotes, who have three goals in the past four games, all losses with two overtime shootout defeats.
Just 13 seconds into the Coyotes’ first power play of the game, Ekman-Larsson held the puck for a bit, then shot high to the far corner and found the net with 5:28 left in the second period to even the score at 1-all.
The goal ended the Coyotes’ scoring drought of more than 139 minutes.
Greiss kept the Oilers from taking another lead, knocking away a quality shot from Eberle with 2:44 to play in the second.
The Coyotes had a chance to add to the lead on a late third-period power play, but Mike Ribeiro’s shot hit the post.
Scrivens went to the bench with a little over a minute to play to give the Oilers an extra attacker, and Edmonton took advantage with the late goal.
NOTES: Phoenix G Mike Smith (knee injury) took part in the team’s morning skate on Friday but is still not ready to play. The Coyotes are expected to update his status in the coming days. … C Martin Hanzal suffered a lower-body injury early in the third period and did not return. … RW David Moss returned to action for the Coyotes after missing the past three games with a lower-body injury. … D David Schlemko was a scratch and has not played since March 6 due to a foot injury. … Oilers C Tyler Pitlick missed his third straight game with a knee injury.
