Bryzgalov thwarts Blackhawks
Turns aside 31 shots to help Coyotes snap 2-game skid
Last Updated: Friday, November 6, 2009 | 1:04 AM ET
The Associated Press
Peter Mueller scored his first goal of the season and Martin Hanzal added a goal and an assist as the Phoenix Coyotes beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 Thursday night.
Scottie Upshall also scored, and Ilya Bryzgalov made 31 saves for the hometown Coyotes, who ended a two-game losing streak before a crowd of 10,362.
Kris Versteeg had a short-handed goal for the Blackhawks, who have lost two of three.
Hanzal needed just 2:34 to give the Coyotes a 1-0 lead, sending a sharp wrist shot from the middle of the left circle between Cristobal Huet's pads.
Mueller made it 2-0 at 11:55 on a rebound after Hanzal tried to redirect a pass from Shane Doan from the half-boards.
Upshall extended the lead to 3-0 at 10:38 of the second period with a wrist shot from the left circle just inside the right post.
Versteeg brought the Blackhawks within 3-1 at 13:56 of the second period, taking a back pass from Patrick Kane and beating Bryzgalov with a wrist shot from the left circle.
Despite being short-handed, Chicago spent most of the first 90 seconds of the power play cycling in the Coyotes' zone before scoring.
Colin Fraser appeared to cut the deficit to one with 9:20 remaining, but the apparent goal was overturned by video review, which showed that Fraser kicked in the puck.
Kane and Patrick Sharp missed on consecutive breakaway attempts early in the second period.
Blackhawks centre Jonathan Toews (concussion) took the pre-game skate but missed his fifth straight contest. Toews was injured on Oct. 21 and might return to the lineup Friday at Colorado.
Phoenix was without Zbynek Michaelk, who suffered a lower-body injury in the Coyotes' 4-1 loss to Colorado on Wednesday.
