Labanc has goal, assist, Sharks hand Coyotes 6th loss in row

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Kevin Labanc had a goal and an assist, and the San Jose Sharks ran the Arizona Coyotes' skid to six games with a 4-2 win at Mullett Arena on Tuesday.

Matt Nieto scored the go-ahead goal nine seconds into the third period, and Kaapo Kahkonen made 27 saves for the Sharks (13-21-8), who had lost two in a row and five of six (1-3-2).
"That goal was huge," Nieto said. "That really set the tone there for the third and the rest of the game."
Barrett Hayton and Christian Fischer scored, and Shayne Gostisbehere and Jakob Chychrun each had two assists each for the Coyotes (13-22-5), who had won three straight before the slide. Karel Vejmelka made 29 saves.
"We've got to figure this out in this [dressing] room, we've got to find a way to win," Fischer said.

Nieto made it 3-2 when Alexander Barabanov went hard on the forecheck to win the puck behind the net and passed to Logan Couture, who fed Nieto at the edge of the crease.
"The face-off is kind of a broken play and Barabanov gets in and creates a turnover, Logan works to a good scoring position, and I was able to beat my check to the net," Nieto said.
The only faster goal to start a period in San Jose history was by Stephane Matteau (eight seconds into first period) on Jan. 11, 2000.
"They're a heavy team around the net, that's their strength, and I think we did a good job for the big part of the game," Arizona coach Andre Tourigny said. "But in the end, that's the kind of stuff that's tough to defend. We made a big mistake of starting the third with a little bit of a casual play, and they capitalized on it by getting their stick open."
Jaycob Megna scored at 14:10 for the 4-2 final on a one-timer from above the circles off a face-off win. It was his first goal in 46 games.
"To start the third, we get the goal early and I thought we did a good job for the most part of not giving them much after that," Sharks coach David Quinn said. "We got the big insurance goal we needed, and Kaapo was good in net."
"The third period, we kind of had them running around a little bit and took over with our momentum," Labanc said.

Labanc made it 1-0 at 4:39 of the first period with San Jose's eighth shot in less than five minutes. Tomas Hertl's centering pass from beyond the goal line went between defenseman J.J. Moser's skates, and Labanc dug it out to score.
Hayton tied it 1-1 at 6:29, driving to the net to knock down Gostisbehere's pass and score on the backhand.
Fischer's short breakaway made it 2-1 at 16:21. Fischer took Gostisbehere's stretch pass and switched from his backhand to his forehand to shoot inside the top corner to Kahkonen's glove side.
Nico Sturm put in his own rebound for a 2-2 tie at 5:59 of the second period, dragging the puck to his backhand off Nick Bonino's pass from the corner and following up after Vejmelka made a skate save on his initial shot.
"Obviously we know we're struggling to get a win, and I think it just comes to certain moments in the game," Fischer said. "We're up 2-1 and we've got find a way, pressure them and don't let them come back in the game. We can't find a way to get that next goal, that extra insurance, a two-goal lead or a three-goal lead."

NOTES: Erik Karlsson had the primary assist on Megna's goal. He is the fourth NHL defenseman in 30 years with at least one point in nine consecutive road games, joining Brian Leetch (12 games, 1996-97), Cale Makar (11 games, 2021-22) and Roman Josi (10 games, 2021-22). … Hayton has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past seven games. … Gostisbehere is the fourth defenseman in Coyotes history with at least 28 points in the first 40 games. He has nine goals and 19 assists. … Arizona forward Clayton Keller played his 400th NHL game. … The Coyotes had won their previous four at home against the Sharks.