Thursday, Mar. 29 8:00pm ET
Phoenix hanging on to final playoff spot
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Phoenix Coyotes' road to the Stanley
Cup playoffs is not going to be easy.
|  | | Nashville's Tom Fitzgerald, left, gets a stick check from Jyrki Lumme. |
Phoenix, which holds a slim lead over the Los Angeles Kings for
the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference, struck first
against the Nashville Predators Thursday night but fell 4-3 in
overtime.
"We have to give Nashville credit," said Phoenix coach Bob
Francis, after the Coyotes eliminated the Predators from playoff
consideration. "They worked extremely hard.
"It seems like every time we come in here we jump out to the
good start, get the lead and they battle back and make things
difficult."
The Coyotes watched a two-goal lead evaporate setting up the
overtime. David Legwand scored his second goal of the game 36
seconds into the extra session to win it.
In December, Legwand beat the New York Rangers ? scoring on the
first successful overtime penalty shot in NHL history.
"I didn't really think about it," Legwand said after going top
shelf against Sean Burke for the goal. "I just wanted to keep
going toward the goal after I got the pass.
"I saw Burke go down on the ice so I went over his shoulder. I
chipped it up in the air and it went in the net."
Nashville's Jeremy Stevenson scored his first goal of the season
at 2:37 of the third period to tie it 3-3, when he got his stick on
the puck as it bounced off Burke's pads in front of the crease.
"Well, is the goal half full or half empty?," Francis asked.
"This time of year you need the two points. With a two-goal lead,
getting only one point has to be a little disappointing. But it was
a big point."
Phoenix took a 1-0 lead in the first period when Travis Green
fired a slap shot from inside the blue line at 17:53. Legwand tied
it at 5:09 of the second with a shot from the right circle.
Just 1 1/2 minutes later, Phoenix answered as Landon Wilson ?
positioned by the right goal post ? poked in a rebound of Brad
May's shot at 6:39.
The Coyotes made it 3-1 at 14:27 as a shot by Michal Handzus was
driven home by Mike Johnson after the puck bounced off the glove of
Nashville goalie Tomas Vokoun.
Denis Arkhipov brought Nashville within 3-2 at 17:09 of the
second as the puck bounced off his skate and past a sprawling
Burke. The goal was allowed to stand after a video review.
"It was an exciting game, even from a coaches' standpoint,"
said Nashville coach Barry Trotz. "We had some young guys who
played much better."
Game notes
Vokoun made his first start at home since Dec. 16. ...
Nashville entered with only four goals in the last four games. ...
The Predators have a franchise-high 48 power-play goals this
season, but have only two in the last 33 chances. ... Phoenix's
Ladislav Nagy, obtained from St. Louis in the Keith Tkachuk trade,
has been a healthy scratch in four straight games. ... Phoenix has
just three victories in 16 games.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Phoenix Clubhouse
Nashville Clubhouse
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NY Rangers 6
NY Islanders 4
Toronto 2
Philadelphia 1
Pittsburgh 5
Chicago 2
Montreal 6
Tampa Bay 2
Nashville 4
Phoenix 3
Colorado 1
Calgary 0
Los Angeles 3
Columbus 0
San Jose 7
Anaheim 4
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Travis Green gets the deflection off the Ossi Vaananen shot for the goal.
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