Coyotes beat Predators 5-2, clinch home ice for first round of playoffs

Coyotes beat Predators 5-2, clinch home ice

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Shane Doan ended a 23-game goal drought, Wojtek Wolski scored his career-high 23rd goal and the Phoenix Coyotes clinched the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference with a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Wednesday night.

Ilya Bryzgalov made 23 saves, and Taylor Pyatt, Lauri Korpikoski and Petteri Nokelainen added goals to help the Coyotes secure home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs. The win was the Coyotes’ seventh straight at home.

Shea Weber scored 12 seconds into the game, and Steve Sullivan added a goal for Nashville in its first game since clinching its fifth playoff berth in six seasons.

Pekka Rinne made 25 saves for Nashville, tied with Detroit for the fifth spot in the West with 98 points.

Doan had been stuck on 17 goals since Jan. 31 before scoring with 2:28 left to put Phoenix up 4-2 and help put this one away. Nokelainen added an empty-net goal with 18.8 seconds remaining.

Pyatt gave the Coyotes the lead for good with 9:24 to play after Sullivan tied it at 2 off a rebound on a power play at 5:53 of the third period.

Wolski’s goal late in the second period gave the Coyotes a 2-1 advantage. Keith Yandle set up the play with a two-line stretch pass from near his own goal to Wolski, who raced in and beat Rinne stick side for his eighth point in the last six games.

Weber fired a shot past Bryzgalov from the high slot to open the scoring 1-0 12 seconds into the game. It was the second-fastest goal in Predators history. David Legwand at 11 seconds on April 5, 2007, against St. Louis.

Phoenix answered less than 2 minutes later when Korpikoski picked up the puck near center ice, broke away from the pack and beat Rinne.

Notes: Predators captain Jason Arnott returned to the lineup after missing eight games because of a concussion. … Phoenix last had home-ice advantage in a playoff series in 1999 when it lost to St. Louis in seven games. … Bryzgalov was selected the Coyotes MVP before the game. … Nashville F Patric Hornqvist left the game in the second period and did not return after being hit by Weber’s shot.

(This version CORRECTS Coyotes 5, Predators 2. SUBS lede to correct score.)