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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
PHOENIX (AP) -- Sean Burke continued his domination of the New
York Rangers.
Burke stopped 34 shots as the Phoenix Coyotes defeated the
Rangers 3-1 Thursday night. Burke has allowed just one goal in two
victories over the Rangers this season.
|  | | Keith Tkachuk checks Mark Messier during Thursday night's game. |
"I don't know how to look at it," said Burke, who blanked the
Rangers 2-0 in New York on Nov. 12. "I knew going into that game
that's a good offensive team. As a goaltender, you know you have to
shut them down. That has to be your focus.
"I think we outmatched and outplayed them tonight and that was
the difference in the game."
The victory was the first in five games for the Coyotes (1-2-2).
The Rangers are winless in their last six games (0-6), and 1-9-1 in
their last 11.
"We did a lot of positives out there," said Petr Neved, who
scored the Rangers' goal. "We wanted to turn it around so badly. I
guess this is a start. We played hard for 60 minutes."
The game marked the return of Phoenix forward Brad May, who was
suspended for 20 games for slashing Columbus' Steve Heinze on Nov.
11. May drew fighting and instigating penalties, as well as a
10-minute misconduct, 3:56 into the first period after a skirmish
with Sandy McCarthy.
"It was really nice being out there," May said. "The windbags
were a little small tonight just to get back into the flow."
Keith Tkachuk, Stan Neckar and Claude Lemieux scored for
Phoenix.
Tkachuk opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 10:24 of
the second period. The Coyotes' Teppo Numminen knocked the puck
free along the boards and Tkachuk beat Mike Richter. The goal was
Tkachuk's 11th power-play goal of the season and 17th overall.
Neckar scored 1:59 into the third period when he pounced on a
rebound of Shane Doan's shot during a delayed penalty. The goal was
Neckar's first of the season.
Nedved got his goal with 6:09 left, scoring off a pass from
Brian Leetch on a 2-on-1 rush.
Lemieux closed out the scoring with an empty-netter with 1:18
left.
"The travel part of our schedule is over," Theoren Fleury said
as the Rangers concluded a two-game road trip. "It's a good
opportunity for us to build on what we did tonight."
Game
notes
Phoenix center Juha Ylonen sustained a concussion in the
first period after being hit by the Rangers' Rich Pilon. He did not
return. ... The Coyotes had a players-only team meeting Thursday
following comments by Burke criticizing his teammates' play. ...
The Rangers had scored 10 goals in five games heading into Thursday
night's game.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
NY Rangers Clubhouse
Phoenix Clubhouse
RECAPS
Ottawa 8
Tampa Bay 3
Detroit 4
Dallas 2
New Jersey 4
NY Islanders 2
Nashville 4
St. Louis 2
San Jose 2
Colorado 2
Phoenix 3
NY Rangers 1
Florida 4
Los Angeles 3
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