Recap: Phoenix vs. Florida
Sports Network | November 09, 2008
Glendale, AZ (Sports Network) - Ilya Bryzgalov stopped all but one of Florida's 27 shots and Mikkel Boedker scored two goals as the Phoenix Coyotes notched a 4-1 win over the Panthers.
Olli Jokinen had a goal and an assist for Phoenix in his first game since the former Panthers captain was dealt from Florida during the offseason. Peter Mueller also scored and Keith Yandle had two assists for the Coyotes, who had dropped two of three games and six of nine coming in.
"After the first period we really started attacking the net and that was the difference," Coyotes head coach Wayne Gretzky said. "Boedker's got tremendous speed and power. He's going to get better every day."
Richard Zednik had the lone goal for Florida, which got 35 saves from Tomas Vokoun in defeat, the Panthers' sixth straight. Florida's last win came on October 24 against San Jose and now sits alone at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with nine points.
Zednik got Florida on the board with a goal off a scramble in front with 6:11 left in the first, but Phoenix came back with two goals in the second to take the lead.
"We had a couple opportunities to take a 2-0 lead but we didn't take advantage," Panthers head coach Peter DeBoer said. "They banged one in and momentum swung in their favor and that was the game."
Mueller's wrist shot found twine just about midway through the period and Boedker's rebound off a redirection from Daniel Winnik was started with a booming slapper from Yandle at the left point, making it a 2-1 margin after two periods.
Jokinen scored off a broken play, swatting a loose puck into the net following a giveaway by the Panthers' defense for a 3-1 lead 5:39 into the third and Boedker notched his second score by bringing the puck off the right boards and chipping it around defenseman Nick Boynton before snapping off a quick shot.
Florida hasn't won in Phoenix since February 4, 2004.... Phoenix is 4-2-0 as the host this season, while Florida is 1-6-1 as the visiting team this season...The Panthers will complete a five-game road swing Sunday with a stop in Anaheim...The Coyotes welcome San Jose on Sunday for a home test...The Panthers were without center Kamil Kreps, who missed the game with a concussion and forward Rostislav Olesz, who missed the game with a shoulder injury.
