Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Jeff Halpern scored the game-winner with 3:05 left in the third period to propel the Phoenix Coyotes to a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday at Staples Center.
With the game tied 3-3 late in the third, a Phoenix counterattack saw a blocked shot ricochet into the left circle, where Halpern was waiting all alone.
With Jonathan Quick scrambling following the change of direction, Halpern threw a shot on net that the LA netminder appeared to stop from his back before making another incredible save on the rebound attempt to keep the game tied.
However, at the next stoppage, video review showed Halpern's shot fully cross the goal line before Quick's stick knocked it back into play.
"We have the headset on the bench so we got a call from our video guy saying the puck was in so we were just hoping for the right call," Phoenix head coach Dave Tippett said of Halpern's marker.
Mike Smith, who finished with 36 saves, stood tall the rest of the way to help the Coyotes claim their second straight win and fourth in the last five games.
Keith Yandle notched a goal and an assist, while Rob Klinkhammer and Mikkel Boedker each scored once for Phoenix.
Marian Gaborik, Alec Martinez and Tanner Pearson all lit the lamp, while Quick stopped 23 shots for the Kings, who entered the game 21-0-0 this season when leading after two periods.
"I don't think I played well enough," Quick admitted. "You give up four goals you are going to lose games. I got to be better."
LA trailed 2-0 late in the first period before ripping off three straight goals to grab the lead heading into the third.
Pearson snuck a wrister through Smith's five-hole from the left circle with 2:58 left in the first, and Martinez tied things up with a one-timer from the left circle 6:50 into the second stanza.
Phoenix blueliner Michael Stone went off for holding at 17:16 of the second, and Gaborik put the Kings on top just over a minute later when his wrister from the slot sailed past Smith's glove.
However, Yandle snuck a slap shot past Quick's glove from the high point 9:44 into the third to tie the game.
Early on, Klinkhammer and Boedker scored 1:03 apart less than eight minutes in to stake Phoenix to a 2-0 lead.
Game Notes
The Kings are now 126-2-11 in the last 139 regular season games when leading after two periods ... LA has lost three straight on the heels of an eight-game win streak ... Both teams went 1-for-4 on the power play.
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