After a promising start, the Phoenix Coyotes looked like they were going to rebound from an embarrassing loss to a poor New Jersey Devils squad. That promise was short-lived, with the New York Rangers overcoming an early two-goal deficit and the Coyotes dropping their second straight game.
Phoenix got off to a fast start, scoring less than two minutes into the contest on a Taylor Pyatt goal. Adrian Aucoin added a goal just a few minutes later, which was the subject of a little controversy. It looked as if Paul Bissonnette redirected the shot (no, that's not a typo), but the goal stood as Aucoin's to give the Coyotes an early 2-0 edge.
Dan Girardi narrowed the gap with a power play goal in the second, before the Coyotes appeared to pull away on a power play goal of their own, this one from Martin Hanzal. At that point, the Coyotes may have thought they had it in the bag, and it cost them at the end.
On another power play, the Coyotes got caught sleeping, leading to Brandon Prust's shorthanded goal with just six seconds left in the second period. After the Coyotes ran much of the play at full strength, Prust's goal proved to be an easily preventable turning point.
The third period was more of what we've come to see in recent weeks from the Yotes. They managed to outshoot their opponent, but failed to really put pressure on the opposing goaltender, Henrik Lundqvist. Michael Rozsival's goal midway through the third may have spelled the end for the Coyotes. It tied the game up, and the Coyotes couldn't muster up a shot in the overtime.
Despite a strong performance from Jason LaBarbera in the shootout, Erik Christensen's goal would prove to be the winner. Lundqvist stoned all three Coyote shooters. LaBarbera's start was his third impressive start in a row, but the Coyotes didn't do enough for him to get the W.
The Coyotes have a day off on Friday before they try and right this trip against the New York Islanders on Saturday. Based on the way the Coyotes have let struggling teams get the best of them recently, Saturday should prove to be no easy contest.