Boedker scores two as Coyotes beat Kings

PHOENIX -- A long chat with coach Dave Tippett had Phoenix Coyotes forward Mikkel Boedker thinking offense Tuesday night. And along with two goals came more indications of how special the speedy Danish winger can be.

Boedker, who came of age during Phoenix's run to the Western Conference Finals last season, snapped a seven-game drought with a pair of goals as the Phoenix Coyotes won the first of three meetings with the rival Los Angeles Kings over the next eight days with a 5-2 victory at Jobing.com Arena.

"Tip and I had a long talk about how I need to keep the puck when I have it and not be in such a rush to give it up," said Boedker, who leads the Coyotes in scoring with 18 points after his third career two-goal game. "He wanted me to keep my feet moving, be more in control and make things happen."

The coach was pleased with the progress as well. "When he has the puck, he can be a very dangerous player. He just has to have it more. That was as good a game as he's played in awhile.

Shane Doan scored for the third straight game and he and Raffi Torres each had a goal and an assist as the Coyotes jumped from ninth to sixth in the Western Conference playoff race with their fourth win in six games. Minor league call-up Rob Klinkhammer added his second goal in as many games to keep the Kings from mounting a late rally.

"We had two days and a good practice and this game was important to us," Boedker said. "We came out and showed we are an elite team in the West and we can play against everybody."

Mike Richards and Dustin Brown scored on the power play for the Kings, who beat Calgary at home Monday night but looked sluggish early on back-to-back nights and paid the price.

"We were tied, they were fresh, it's not hard to figure out," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said.

Mike Smith made 31 saves to pick up his 11th win of the year. Quick made 24 saves but allowed four goals on the first 17 shots for the Kings, who lost for only the fourth time in their last 15 games.

"I think it's important for us to remember we got off to a rough start and we have been playing a lot better of late," Brown said. "But we have to continue to get points. If you look at how close everyone is, if you're not getting points, you are falling."

Boedker kicked a Torres pass to his skates at the top of the circle and beat Quick to the stick side at 9:25 for his first goal since Feb. 26. Doan made it 2-0 after another successful Phoenix kill, deflecting a shot-pass by Quick to double the Phoenix lead at 16:47.

After scoring just four times in his first 19 games, Doan now had five in the last seven games -- and the Coyotes have beaten four Pacific Division opponents (Anaheim twice, Dallas and now the Kings) -- during that span.

"The last couple of games, I have just been around the net at the right time. I'm fortunate to be getting them," Doan said. "I don't know if I'm playing particularly great -- goals can hide things -- but my game is coming."

Boedker made it 3-0 at 3:37 of the second, picking out the top corner after a pretty power-play move in the slot. And when Torres banged home a Doan rebound at 12:33, Phoenix had a four-goal cushion.

NOTES: The Coyotes played without defenseman Zbynek Michalek, who had eight of Phoenix's 30 blocked shots in a 2-1 win over Dallas Saturday but took one off his ankle and sat out Tuesday. The Coyotes recalled Chris Summers from Portland of the American Hockey League on Tuesday and he stepped in for Michalek. ... Los Angeles defenseman Keaton Ellerby and Doan are first cousins in a very close family. Ellerby's father, Cal, is a pastor and married Doan's parents, Bernie and Bernice. ... Anze Kopitar will play in his 500th NHL game Thursday night in San Jose. ... Coach Dave Tippett said Coyotes defenseman David Schlemko, who had been out since Feb. 4 because of a shoulder injury, will be ready to play by this weekend. ... The Coyotes granted the Kings request to wear white at home Thursday so Los Angeles could wear its throwback purple and black sweaters. ... The Coyotes have 22 games remaining and 14 are on the road, beginning Thursday night in St. Louis.