Mighty Ducks 2, Coyotes 2

Thursday November 28, 2002

By KEN PETERS
AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) For the fourth time in five games, the Phoenix Coyotes came from two goals down to earn a tie.

The Coyotes waited until the closing moments of regulation to even it against Anaheim on Wednesday night, with Brian Savage and Daniel Briere scoring in the final 1:33 of regulation to lift Phoenix into a 2-2 tie with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

``We've had a number of these recently,'' Phoenix coach Bob Francis said. ``I'm aging quickly.''

Phoenix goaltender Brian Boucher, who shut out Anaheim until giving up third-period goals to Pavel Trnka and Paul Kariya, was relieved the Coyotes got the tie.

``It was a wild finish to a tight game. We're a team that's battled back well, and it was good to get one back tonight,'' Boucher said.

For the Ducks, it was the second time they'd blown a two-goal lead in as many games; Florida rallied late to tie them 4-4 on Sunday.

``The bottom line is that's two games in a row, both totally different, when both times we were in control of the game,'' Anaheim coach Mike Babcock said. ``Giving away a point like that, you've got to take that seriously.''

Savage, back in the lineup after being sidelined by a broken thumb, scored his second goal of the season with just over 1{ minutes remaining. Then, after the Coyotes pulled Boucher, Briere broke free down the slot, took a pass from Landon Wilson and redirected the puck between rookie Martin Gerber's pads at 19:15 for his sixth goal.

``When I realized it was two-on-one, I was just going for the redirect and I got a little lucky,'' said Briere, who also assisted on Savage's goal. ``It was a great comeback and a good point.''

Kariya said Briere's goal came on an Anaheim breakdown.

``That second goal, when you give up a two-on-one like that, that's just bad hockey. We had the game won, but we just didn't finish it off,'' Kariya said.

The Mighty Ducks got off 35 shots against Boucher, but he held them at bay until Trnka's slap shot from just inside the blue line 7:34 into the third. Adam Oates, the 40-year-old center who had been sidelined by two broken bones in his left hand, set up Trnka's first of the season.

Kariya added the second Anaheim goal on a power play with 8:45 left in the third, his 10th goal.

The Ducks outshot Phoenix 35-28.

The injury-riddled Coyotes were without defenseman Todd Simpson, who drew a three-game suspension from the NHL earlier Wednesday; and right wing Claude Lemieux, who is day to day with a fractured left foot.

Coyotes enforcer Darcy Hordichuk was back, however, after serving a 10-game suspension for bumping a referee on Oct. 31. Hordichuk drew his first penalty at 6:20, for diving.

Oates, the five-time All-Star who signed a $3.5 million contract with Anaheim in July, participated in light practices since having surgery to place screws into his hand Oct. 26.< ^Notes:@ Savage had been out since Nov. 12. ... Anaheim D Ruslan Salei left the game in the second period with a bruised elbow and back spasms and did not return. ... The Ducks have 23 points for their best start after 23 games. The Ducks, who came into the league as an expansion team in 1993, had their previous high of 22 points after 23 games in 1999-2000. ... Simpson will miss three games for high-sticking Rob DiMaio of Dallas with 1:06 left in a game Monday night. Simpson received a match penalty and will lose almost $25,000 in salary because of the suspension. ... The Ducks were 6-4-2-3 without Oates. ... Gerber's start was his first for Anaheim since Oct. 28.

(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)