Coyotes slow Flyers' playoff push with 2-1 victory
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) Shane Doan and Mike Stone scored in the final 4 1/2 minutes of the second period, Mike Smith made 34 saves and the Arizona Coyotes beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 on Saturday night.
The loss prevented the Flyers from moving into sole possession of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia remained tied with the Detroit Red Wings, who lost to Pittsburgh 7-2 earlier in the day.
Sean Couturier scored the Flyers' goal with 40 seconds remaining.
Doan scored on a power play with 4:23 left in the second. Stone's goal, from just outside the faceoff circle, came with under a second to go in the period. Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol challenged that it was goalie interference, but the goal stood after a replay review.
Steve Mason had 15 saves as Philadelphia outshot Arizona 35-17 in a rough, intense contest.
Doan and Stone both left with injuries in the third period.
Doan appeared dazed when his head was pinned against the boards by Radko Gudas' elbow. Moments later, Stone's legs got tangled up with a Philadelphia player and he had to be helped off the ice.
The Flyers' Claude Giroux left with an apparent head injury with 2:15 to go in the game. One of several intense skirmishes followed.
As the second period neared an end, Arizona's Max Domi and Philadelphia's Brandon Manning were bumping each other just to the left of the net. Domi apparently knocked Mason's mask askew and the Flyers' goalie didn't see Stone's shot go in to the mostly empty net.
First, the officials reviewed to make sure the goal came before time expired. Then they reviewed it again and decided against an interference call.
Philadelphia outshot Arizona 16-7 in the second period but had nothing to show for it.
The Coyotes were 1 for 21 on their last 22 power plays before Doan's goal broke a scoreless tie with 4:23 to play in the second period. Alex Tanguay got the puck to Antoine Vermette free at the left side of the net. Mason deflected the shot but Doan was there to tap it in for his team-high 26th goal of the season.
Stone's goal was his sixth.
Two periods of intense, physical hockey followed an uninspired first period, when there were just 11 shots combined, six by Arizona.
NOTES: Doan moved past Mike Modano into sixth place all-time in games played with one franchise (1,460). ... Philadelphia has eight games to play, Detroit has seven. They are tied with 87 points. ... The Flyers are 10-3-2 in their last 15 games.
