Maple Leafs 2, Coyotes 1 (SO)
TORONTO -- Left winger Joffrey Lupul scored the decisive goal in a shootout and the Toronto Maple Leafs edged the Phoenix Coyotes 2-1 on Thursday.
The Coyotes tied the game late in the third period on a goal by center Martin Hanzal as the Maple Leafs tried to make a first-period goal by right winger Troy Bodie stand up.
The Maple Leafs (18-16-3) snapped a two-game losing streak in winning for the second time in seven games. The Coyotes (18-10-6) lost three in a row.
Maple Leafs goaltender James Reimer stopped 34 shots in regulation, but missed out on his second shutout of the season after Hanzal's third period equalizer. Goaltender Mike Smith made 26 saves in the loss the Phoenix.
Toronto left winger James van Riemsdyk scored first in the shootout, a result that was confirmed by a video review. Phoenix left winger Mikkel Boedker answered with a goal. Toronto left winger Mason Raymond and Phoenix right winger Radim Vrbata missed. Lupul then made the decisive shot before Reimer stopped center Antoine Vermette to clinch the win.
The Maple Leafs opened the scoring at 15:52 of the first period. Bodie scored his first goal of the season and his first as a Maple Leaf, flipping in a 10-foot backhand shot off the rebound from a shot by Franson. Holland also picked up an assist.
The Maple Leafs held their 1-0 lead through a goalless second period in which they were outshot 12-8.
Toronto had the best scoring chance of the second at 15:11 with the teams playing four skaters each as the result of minor penalties. Maple Leafs defenseman Cody Franson stole the puck in the neutral zone, steamed down the right wing before feeding center Peter Holland, whose shot was blocked by defenseman Derek Morris. Lupul then had his shot stopped by Smith.
The Coyotes tied the game at 15:08 of the third period on Hanzal's ninth goal of the season, a wraparound effort. Defenseman Rostislav Klesla, just called up from Portland of the AHL, and Vrbata earned assists.
NOTES: Phoenix D Zbynek Michalek (lower body) was injured in a 3-1 loss at Montreal on Tuesday night and will be out of the lineup indefinitely. ... Coyotes RW Shane Doan (illness) remains out of the lineup and LW Lauri Korpikoski (upper body) is on injured reserve. ... D David Rundblad, D David Schlemko and LW Paul Bissonnette were scratched by the Coyotes. ... D Paul Ranger (upper body), D Mark Fraser and LW Frazer McLaren were not in the Maple Leafs' lineup. ... C Trevor Smith (broken hand), C Dave Bolland (left ankle surgery), RW Colton Orr (elbow bruise) and C Tyler Bozak (strained oblique) are on injured reserve for Toronto. ... The Maple Leafs recalled C Jerred Smithson from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL.
