GLENDALE, Ariz. Chris Ivory Jersey . -- The Phoenix Coyotes zipped around the ice, generating good scoring chances, getting into a scrap after a big hit, pumping in a goal late in the first period. It was just the kind of effort they needed against a team that had played the night before, particularly one thats ahead of them in the standings. Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored two goals, Thomas Greiss stopped 30 shots and the Coyotes kicked off an important five-game homestand with a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night. "We caught a team at the right time, but that being said, I thought we played the right kind of game to take advantage of it," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. "We kept getting pucks deep, we put some pucks at the net and it was a pretty solid game throughout our lineup." The Coyotes needed to string together some victories during their homestand after a rough stretch dropped them to ninth in the Western Conference. They responded with arguably their best game of the season, playing solid in their own end while peppering Jonathan Quick with 29 shots. Antoine Vermette had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to five games and Shane Doan had his 500th career assist on Ekman-Larssons second goal. That was more than enough for Greiss, who had his second shutout this season, third career. "It was a huge game for us," Ekman-Larsson said. "We talked about this game and I think we played well for 60 minutes." Los Angeles laboured after playing the night before and for the fourth time in six nights. The Kings also continued to struggle in the offensive zone. Los Angeles was relegated to the outside mostly in the first two periods and hit the post twice in the third, unable to get anything past Greiss. The Kings have scored two goals in their past four games and have lost six of seven. "Tonight, I dont know how many really good chances we had," Kings captain Dustin Brown said. "Probably a bit of them playing really well and us not being hungry enough to get to the dirty areas and if were going to score goals, thats what were going to have to get back to." The Coyotes have been tumbling down the Western Conference standings, losing seven of their past 10 games. They did rally from a 4-2 deficit to earn a point against Vancouver Sunday night behind Vermettes third career hat trick. Phoenix still had its offensive mojo going early against the Kings, creating some good chances and while getting traffic in front of Quick, who made some tough stops, including a sprawling save on Jeff Halpern. Ekman-Larsson broke through late in the first period, whipping a wrister from the point past Quick. A physical game between two rivals became even rougher in the second period, when Jordan Nolan levelled Kyle Chipchura with a shoulder, setting of a scrum along the boards. Phoenix got a power play out of it and scored 12 seconds into it, when Ekman-Larsson beat Quick with a slapshot just outside the faceoff circle. Greiss had a string of tough saves as the game opened up late in the second period and Vermette put it out of reach in the third, punching in a rebound for his team-leading 19th goal of the season. The Kings hit the post twice in the final period, but, as has been the case lately, the pucks caromed away instead of into the net. "Theres a team-wide frustration and a personal frustration for some guys in here," Brown said. NOTES: Vermette has six goals and two assists during his points streak. ... The Kings have scored three goals in their past 38 power play chances. ... Coyotes LW Paul Bissonnette received a 10-minute misconduct in the second period for throwing punches at Nolan after his hit on Chipchura. Jaiquawn Jarrett Jets Jersey . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. DeMario Davis Jets Jersey .ca in a 30 Teams In 30 Days tour of the NHL in preparation for the upcoming season.DOHA, Qatar -- Rafael Nadal opened his 2014 campaign by winning his first title of the year in defeating Gael Monfils 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-2 at the Qatar Open on Saturday. Nadal showed why hes the top player in the world all week long. Although he wasnt in top form in this first event of the season, he battled to win his 61st career title, one shy of Guillermo Vilas total, seventh on the all-time Open era list. "I think I played my best match of the season -- of the tournament -- today," Nadal said after the exciting, two-hour final. "I was happy with how I played." Of the five matches Nadal played this week he was taken the three-set distance three times: By Tobias Kamke in the second round, Peter Gojowczyk in the quarterfinals, and then by Monfils. "The important thing is that I had a chance to survive after very tough matches this week," he said. "And it was a tougher match against a tougher opponent in the final. "Its very exciting to start the year with a title." Nadal, who reached the championship match in Doha in 2010, has been in the final of 15 of his last 18 tournaments. Last year he won a career-high 10 titles. Nadal holds a 9-2 record against Monfils. The Frenchman previously won both of their meetings in Doha, in the 2009 quarterfinnals and 2012 semifinals. Michael Vick Jets Jersey. The 31st-ranked Monfils has been in three Doha finals, but will again go home without the trophy. Hes appeared in 20 career finals, but won only four. "Rafa is strong, hitting hard the ball," Monfils said. "Its always tough to play against him, and at the end he was a bit better than me today." Nadal dominated the first set, taking it in just 23 minutes. Monfils managed to hold serve only in the sixth game. "If I play like I did in the first set Ill be very competitive in Melbourne," Nadal said of the upcoming Australian Open. In the second set it was all about Monfils to start, as the Frenchman could do no wrong en route to a 3-0 lead. Although Nadal recouped the service break in the seventh game when Monfils netted a backhand, he couldnt bypass the Frenchman in the tiebreaker. Nadal saved thee Monfils set points at 6-3 in the tiebreaker, but on the fourth Monfils nailed the set with an ace. In the third set, Nadal broke Monfils in the fourth game when the Frenchman shipped two forehands long from 30-30. Leading 3-1, Nadal saved four break points on his serve in the fifth game to take a 4-1 lead. Nadal broke serve again on a second match point in the final game when Monfils sailed a forehand long. ' ' '
