3 win over the Edm

EDMONTON -- The Phoenix Coyotes almost gassed a game by believing it was in the bag. Frostee Rucker Jersey . Mike Ribeiro had a goal and an assist as Phoenix held on to snap a two-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. Mikkel Boedker, Radim Vrbata and Derek Morris also scored for the Coyotes (24-18-9) who ended a five-game losing skid on the road. Phoenix was comfortably in front 4-0 early in the second period when the tables suddenly turned and they found themselves hanging on for dear life to collect the two points. "They kept coming and we let them back into it," said Coyotes captain Shane Doan. "There is a little bit of (taking foot off the gas) and the fact that you have to get that next one. We talked about getting that fourth one, we got the fourth one and then we kind of eased up. We have to keep going. We cant afford to do that." Coyotes coach Dave Tippet said his team was fortunate its lead wasnt erased altogether. "Once the score got up 4-0, we made a couple of mistakes, we let them back in the game and made it tight," he said. "I thought we played well for 30 minutes and for the next 30 minutes we hung on. "Coming out of the third period with a lead like that on the road, you should really salt that game away. Its not that we took our foot of the gas, its the puck mistakes, the penalties, those kind of things. Things that real good teams dont do, and those are still things that are a work in progress for our group." Matt Hendricks, David Perron and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins responded for the Oilers (15-32-6), who have now lost six in a row for the second time this season and have had five losing streaks go five games or longer. The Oilers are just three points ahead of last-place Buffalo and only have two wins in their last 13 games. "Its been a common theme this year, our consistency," Nugent-Hopkins said. "We might play good for the first period and then sag in the second and play good in the third. We have to find a way to stop doing that. We are killing ourselves with efforts like that, not playing a full game." Added Oilers winger Ryan Jones, who collected his 100th NHL point on the night: "Its almost like we put ourselves in a situation where we have nothing to lose and thats when we start playing. "We have to come out like that right from the start, obviously." Edmonton head coach Dallas Eakins was pleased with how his team came back, but wished they hadnt been in that situation in the first place. "When you get down in a game like that, it can go one way or another," he said. "The guys can dig their heels in and fight for each other or the game can go really badly. Our guys hung in with it. It was great to see, but it is also disappointing how you can lose a game by playing poorly for three minutes." The Coyotes started the scoring 14 minutes into the spirited first period as Antoine Vermette made a cross-ice pass to send Boedker in with some steam, beating Oilers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov with a well-placed wrist shot to the top corner. It was Boedkers 15th goal of the season. Phoenix took a two-goal lead with three minutes left in the opening period after some quick passing allowed Martin Hanzal to put it in front to Vrbata and he rifled it home for a power-play goal. Just over a minute later, it was 3-0 Phoenix, as some shoddy defensive play allowed the puck to squirt back toward the blue-line. Morris skated in and got all of his weight behind a shot that beat Bryzgalov to the glove side. Mike Smith was as busy as Bryzgalov in the Phoenix net, as both goalies faced 15 shots apiece in the first period. The Coyotes kept coming with another goal three minutes into the second period as a shot that was going wide was deftly tipped into Edmontons net by Ribeiro. Edmonton finally got on the board with seven minutes left in the second period as Hendricks redirected Ryan Joness shot past Smith for his first goal in his fourth game as an Oiler since coming over in a trade with Nashville. The Oilers made it a 4-2 game 1:50 into the third as Perron picked a puck up off the side boards and made a couple of nice moves to get past the Phoenix defenders before lifting a backhand shot top shelf past Smith. It was Perrons team-leading 19th goal of the season. Edmonton then cut the lead to a single goal eight minutes into the third as Jordan Eberle drew the defence to him before sending a nice backhand pass to a trailing Nugent-Hopkins, who sent a quick shot into the Coyotes net. The Oilers continued to press and had several good opportunities late in the game but couldnt get the equalizer. "We talked about after the first that they had the firepower to come back in the game," Vrbata said. "They almost did. We have to learn from that. Even at 4-0 the game is not over, you have to play until the end." Both teams return to action on Sunday as the Oilers play host to the Nashville Predators and the Coyotes travel to Vancouver to play the Canucks. Notes: It was the fourth of five games between the two teams, with the Coyotes having won the first three, including a comeback for a 4-3 overtime win in Phoenix on New Years Eve. The Coyotes entered the game with four straight wins over the Oilers, and having won nine of the last 11 encounters between the two teams overall. They had also won seven of their last eight in Edmontona Oilers captain Andrew Ference left the game with a head injury and did not returna. Edmonton winger Nail Yakupov returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with a head injury. Fellow Russian Anton Belov also drew back into the lineup to take the place of veteran Nick Schultz... Oilers forward Ales Hemsky remained out with an ankle injurya Coyotes centre Martin Hanzal (lower body) and defenceman David Schlemko (upper body) were both back on the ice for Phoenix after missing Wednesdays game against Calgary. Michael Floyd Jersey . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. Chandler Catanzaro Jersey . And this recent run of success also has general manager Bryan Murray re-thinking his plans for the near future with the March 5 trade deadline not too far away. BERLIN -- Hoffenheim defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 in the Bundesliga on Sunday, handing the home side its eighth loss in nine games across all competitions, while Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Nuremberg 5-2 to ease its relegation fears. American defender Fabian Johnson crossed for Anthony Modeste to tuck the ball away in the 89th minute for Hoffenheim. The French striker pointed to the net in an apparent reference to the "ghost goal" scored by Stefan Kiessling in the sides last meeting, when the ball went through a hole in the sidenetting. Sead Salihovic put the visitors in front with a penalty in the 14th, after Roberto Hilbert handled in the area. Emir Spahic crossed for Kiessling to equalize with a header in the 39th, but there was an immediate brilliant response from Kevin Volland, who eluded Andres Guardado and lifted the ball over the Leverkusen keeper inside the far post. The home side equalized again through Simon Rolfes, set up by Lars Benders back-heel after Hoffenheim keeper Jens Grahl saved Guardados free kick. Modeste had the final say with his 10th goal of the season to increase the pressure on Leverkusen coach Sami Hyypia. Frankfurt earlier handed Nuremberg its fourth straight loss to leave the home side mired in the relegation zone. The visitors scored in the 21st minute when Stefan Aigner blocked Emanuel Pogatetz attempted clearance and crossed for Tranquillo Barnetta to score. Nuremberg was dealt a further blow when deffender Ondrej Petrak suffered a suspected broken nose and concussion after receiving Joselus elbow to the face in a challenge. Tyrann Mathieu Authentic Jersey. Nuremberg captain Raphael Schaefer suggested Joselu should have been sent off. "Its quite clear. Everyone can see it," the goalkeeper said. "Red card and we would have conceded two goals less." Aigner unselfishly set up Joselu in the 49th, and Alexander Madlung thought hed decided the game with Frankfurts third four minutes after that. "There was only fear in the first half. We played like a relegated team," Nuremberg coach Gertjan Veerbek said. But Josip Drmic scored the goal of the afternoon in the 64th, controlling Jose Campanas cross with his first touch and then firing high to far corner with his next, and Campana reduced the deficit further four minutes later with a shot from distance. Nurembergs revival was ended when Javier Pinola was sent off for bringing down Joselu as the last defender in the 80th. The Spanish striker decided the game on a counterattack in the 88th and set up Vaclav Kadlec for the visitors fifth in injury time. "The way I see it, we were lucky a red card wasnt issued (for Joselu). It would have been very close for us then," Aigner said. The result lifted Frankfurt to 12th, six points clear of Nuremberg and Hamburg in the relegation zone. "I got a sprain from celebrating. Incredible," Frankfurt coach Armin Veh said. ' ' '