Minnesota at Phoenix

Wild's Latendresse records first career hat trick in loss to Coyotes

CBSSports.com wire reports
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GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Dave Tippett was searching for positives after watching his Phoenix Coyotes nearly squander a four-goal lead in the final 10 minutes against Minnesota on Saturday.

"Let's take all the negatives and put them over there," Tippett said after Phoenix's 6-4 victory over the Wild. "I've been trying to do that since the game ended. Let's talk about the bright and sunny stuff."

Into that category fell Petr Prucha, who scored twice, and Ed Jovanovski, who had a career-best four assists in his return from a two-game suspension.

"Phenomenal," Tippett said about Jovanovski. "He just eats up so many minutes. The best thing I can say about him is your team loves him on the ice and the other team hates him on the ice."

Shane Doan snapped a four-game scoreless streak with a goal and an assist, and Adrian Aucoin, Vernon Fiddler also scored for the Coyotes, who have won two straight after going winless in five games.

"I'm sure neither coach is overly impressed with the defense in the game but it's nice to win," Doan said. "We're making it a little more difficult than we have to on ourselves."

Guillaume Latendresse had his first career hat trick, and Owen Nolan added a goal and an assist for the Wild, who have lost two straight after posting four straight wins for second time this season.

"I don't have a reason why," Minnesota assistant captain Greg Zanon said. "We definitely can play when we want to. We've got to want to. We knew what to expect."

Prucha and Fiddler scored 78 seconds apart to give the Coyotes a 5-1 lead with 10:10 to go.

Then the Wild stormed back, much as they did a week ago in erasing a four-goal third-period deficit against Chicago.

"We made it interesting, that's for sure," Jovanovski said.

Latendresse scored his second goal with 9:24 to go on a redirection in front for the Wild's first power-play goal in their last five games against Phoenix.

Nolan made it 5-3 just 51 seconds later when he bounced a shot off Ilya Bryzgalov's right leg seconds after Scottie Upshall was whistled for high-sticking.

"We're trying to entertain the fans and keep them in the building," Tippett said. "That's why we're taking all the penalties. It's good for the fans but bad for the coach."

Latendresse completed his hat trick on a wrist shot from the inside of the left circle to cut Phoenix's lead to 5-4 with 5:17 remaining.

"What happened against Chicago isn't going to happen every night," Latendresse said. "If we want to be on the playoffs we need these two points."

Vrbata scored with a minute remaining to cap the seven-goal period.

"We got what we deserved," said Wild coach Todd Richards. "A handful of guys were working and a handful of guys were trying to make a difference. You're not going to win games by missing seven, eight, nine guys."

Prucha took a pass from Martin Hanzal just above the inside hashes and beat Niklas Backstrom on a wrist shot for a 1-0 Phoenix lead at 7:45 of the first period.

Doan made it 2-0 at 10:05 of the period, one-timing a pass from Daniel Winnik past Backstrom from the inside of the right faceoff circle.

Latendresse scored his first on a one-timer off a pass from Kyle Broziak to pull the Wild within 2-1 at 17:35 of the second period.

Aucoin extended Phoenix's lead to 3-1 at 1:59 of the third when his hard shot from the point eluded Backstrom with help from a screen by Upshall.

Notes

  • Bryzgalov was credited with his first assist of the season on Vrbata's goal.
  • Latendresse has six goals and four assists in his last five games.
  • Aucoin played in his 900th NHL game.
  • Phoenix has three straight regulation wins at home against Minnesota for the first time in the series history.
Copyright 2013 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
 
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Guillaume Latendresse completes his first three-goal game with this shot from the left side. (AP)
Guillaume Latendresse completes his first three-goal game with this shot from the left side. (AP)

Scoreboard
Minnesota (24-22-3)0134
Phoenix  (28-16-5) «2046
Three Stars
P. Prucha
PHO


Goals: 2
Assist(s): 0
E. Jovanovski
PHO


Goals: 0
Assist(s): 4
G. Latendresse
MIN


Goals: 3
Assist(s): 0
Scoring Summary
1ST PERIOD
07:45Petr Prucha (10), Snap Shot. Assist: Hanzal, Jovanovski
10:05Shane Doan (12), Snap Shot. Assist: Winnik, Fiddler
2ND PERIOD
17:35Guillaume Latendresse (13), Wrist Shot. Assist: Brodziak, Havlat
3RD PERIOD
01:59Power Play - Adrian Aucoin (7), Wrist Shot. Assist: Jovanovski, Doan
08:32Petr Prucha (11), Wrist Shot. Assist: Jovanovski, Hanzal
09:50Short - Vernon Fiddler (5), Wrist Shot. Assist: Jovanovski
10:36Power Play - Guillaume Latendresse (14), Tip-In. Assist: Nolan, Havlat
11:27Power Play - Owen Nolan (12), Tip-In. Assist: Belanger, Zidlicky
14:43Guillaume Latendresse (15), Snap Shot. Assist: Havlat, Brodziak
19:00Radim Vrbata (15), Wrist Shot. Assist: Lepisto
Penalty Summary
1ST PERIOD
17:02Miettinen, 2 min, Tripping
18:18Prucha, 2 min, Goaltender Interference
18:18Brodziak, 2 min, Slashing
2ND PERIOD
03:23Zidlicky, 2 min, Interference
09:53Boogaard, 2 min, Tripping
3RD PERIOD
01:17Zanon, 2 min, Hooking
05:48Koivu, 2 min, Tripping
05:53Upshall, 2 min, High-Sticking
09:23Yandle, 2 min, Cross-Checking
11:19Upshall, 2 min, High-Sticking
Shots On Goal
 123T
Minnesota391022
Phoenix1381233
Goalies
GoalieMINSSGA
Niklas Backstrom59:09276
Ilya Bryzgalov60:00184
Game Information
Attendance - 12631
Referees - Paul Devorski, Don Van Massenhoven
Linesmen - Mark Wheler, Don Henderson
 
Other Games
Edm 2 Final
SJ 4
Bos 3 Final
LA 4
Pitt 2 Final
Van 6
Buf 2 Final
NYI 3
TB 2 Final
Fla 5
Det 2 Final
Dal 3
Atl 5 Final
Car 3
NYR 1 Final
StL 4
Ott 4 Final
Mon 2
Chi 6 Final
Colu 5
NJ 1 Final
Colo 3