The streaky situation that is the Phoenix Coyotes continued the early part of what could be another win streak from the NHL's favorite desert club on Tuesday night, in Calgary.
Winners of back-to-back games after some late February/early March struggles, the Coyotes are beginning to look poised with less than a dozen games remaining before the postseason. They took another step towards a postseason berth on Tuesday.
Facing a Calgary Flames team that fired 39 shots at Ilya Bryzgalov, to no avail, just over a week ago, the Coyotes were looking for the season sweep against one of the NHL's hottest teams since the break.
Lee Stempniak got on the board first for the Coyotes in this one, notching his first goal in 21 games. Scoring droughts aren't unfamiliar to Stempniak this season, who also went from the beginning of December to early January without finding the net.
The Coyote lead would last the majority of the period, before former Phoenix forward Olli Jokinen evened it up with his 15th of the season.
Phoenix would attempt to pull away in this one, scoring the game's next three goals. The first came on an Eric Belanger breakaway, which resulted in Belanger firing a backhander past Calgary keeper Miikka Kipprusoff.
Carrying a 2-1 lead into the third period, the Yotes would quickly extend that lead, striking twice in the third period's first three minutes, both coming from the blueline. Keith Yandle scored to make it 3-1, before Michal Rozsival fired one past Kipprusoff for the 4-1 lead.
The Flames would not be doused, though. Less than a minute after Rozsival's goal, Mikael Backlund scored on the power play to narrow the gap to 4-2. Alex Tanguay fired one top shelf on Bryzgalov that pulled the Flames within one.
The Coyotes would go on to pull this one out, earning a win and keeping a potential overtime point away from the Flames in the process.
With 11 games left, the Coyotes sit in sixth place in the Western Conference, three points behind the division leading San Jose Sharks. Their 85 points are also tied with the divisional rival Los Angeles Kings.
The Coyotes will make a quick swing up to Canada, with stops in Edmonton and Vancouver, before returning to Phoenix for a crucial tilt against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.