RALEIGH, N.C. _ The Carolina Hurricanes have played a quirky schedule this season and Friday's game against Arizona was another good example.
The Canes hosted the Coyotes at PNC Arena, two days before facing the Coyotes again _ in Arizona.
That's a lot of air miles for two games, but the NHL made it happen. All the teams can do is play the games.
The Coyotes won the first one, taking a 4-2 victory Friday as Shane Doan had a goal and two assists.
Down, the Coyotes longtime captain, assisted on Jordan Martinook's go-ahead goal at 9:02 of the third period, then scored a late empty-netter.
Lee Stempniak scored late in the first period and Jordan Staal early in the second for the Canes. It was 2-2 after 40 minutes as the Canes sought to end a three-game losing streak and the Coyotes a two-game slide.
The Canes (25-26-10) were facing another backup goalie as the Coyotes, after a 6-3 loss Thursday in Buffalo, went with Louis Domingue, who had 32 saves. Cam Ward got the start for the Canes.
Ward made a diving stop on a Radim Vrbata shot with seven minutes left in regulation to keep it 2-2, but Martinook was open in the slot after Shane Doan _ who had two assists _ forced a Canes turnover in the corner after a Ryan Murphy pass.
Until the final minute of the first, it had been a period of near-misses for the Canes.
Phil Di Giuseppe had a shot bang off the post. Stempniak did the same and Elias Lindholm, looking at open net after a nice move, lost control of the puck and was wide with his attempt.
The Coyotes didn't miss. Christian Dvorak ripped a shot past Ward off the rush after a perfect backhand pass from Doan.
About six minutes later, the Coyotes' Alex Goliogski banged a shot off the crossbar and past Ward, again on the rush. Arizona had a 2-0 lead.
But just when it seemed the Canes were headed to a miserable intermission break, Jaccob Slavin's shot from the point was deflected past Stempniak. With 48.8 seconds left in the period, the Canes were on the board and more energized.
When Staal scored early in the second, the Canes had a 2-2 tie. Teuvo Teravainen froze Domingue, who had to play a potential shot, then made a quick pass to Staal, who had an open net and didn't miss.
Jeff Skinner returned to the Canes lineup after missing the mid-week road games at Florida and Tampa Bay with an upper-body injury that caused him to be brought back to Raleigh for evaluation. Skinner was on a line with Stempniak centered by Jay McClement, who played his 900th career game.
Canes coach Bill Peters, his team in a 1-5-3 slide, made some caustic comments about goalie Eddie Lack after Friday's morning skate. Lack allowed four goals on 16 shots in the 4-3 loss Wednesday to Tampa Bay, his 10th game of the season, lowering his save percentage to .873 for the season.
"When he gets in another game, you better play," Peters said. "You better earn some respect from your teammates. Your teammates are out there working their bag off, you better get some saves. And a timely save at the right time wouldn't hurt.
"That's a little bit honest, eh? I just looked it up. You look up any goalie who has played 10 games in the National Hockey League and the top 60 in save percentage, I know who's 60. There's 30 teams. Not good enough. Make a save."
