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Sports

Sabres beat Coyotes in bizarre fashion

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Buffalo, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Buffalo has had its fair share of misfortune this season, but was on the right side of a bizarre play Monday night as the Sabres edged the Phoenix Coyotes, 2-1, in overtime at First Niagara Center.

Mark Pysyk fired a shot from near the right circle 3:47 into the extra session which was initially stopped by Coyotes goalie Mike Smith, but the puck bounced straight up into the air and was batted down by a Phoenix defender and landed in the back of Smith's pants.

Smith, unaware of the disc wedged in his pants, turned and slid backwards into the net carrying the puck across the goal line for the game-winner.

"I saw it come down and figured it landed. I didn't know where it went from there, but I saw he was in the net and figured it was in," said Pysyk.

Tyler Ennis scored the game-tying goal 14:01 into the final session for the Sabres, winners in three of their last four. Ryan Miller made 36 saves in the win.

Martin Hanzal scored the lone goal for Phoenix, which has dropped four of its last five games. Smith made 30 saves.

"If they (the officials) don't see the puck they're supposed to blow the whistle. That didn't happen," said Smith. "I didn't feel it at all. I didn't know what happened. I know the puck went up in the air but I had no idea where it went after that."

Hanzal lit the lamp 19 seconds into the middle session when he tipped in Connor Murphy's shot from just inside the blue line. The goal was reviewed for high-sticking on Hanzal, but it was determined to be a clean goal and score held at 1-0.

Ennis tied the game 14:01 into the third. Zemgus Girgensons stole the puck just inside the Phoenix zone and found Ennis all alone charging the net. Ennis faked a shot, cut back to his left and beat Smith over his right pad for a 1-1 game.

Game Notes

Pysyk's goal was the second of his career ... Buffalo will visit Toronto on Friday ... The Sabres were 0-for-3 on the power play, but killed off all five of Phoenix's power-play chances ... Hanzal has 10 goals this season ... The Coyotes finished their four-game road trip 1-3 ... Phoenix will host the Sharks on Friday.