GLENDALE, Ariz (AP) - Danny Cleary scored from a tough angle with just over 6 minutes left, and the Detroit Red Wings swept the Phoenix Coyotes out of the playoffs and possibly out of the desert with a 6-3 victory Wednesday night.
The whiteout from Game 3 was more of a dusting, though Jobing.com was just as juiced.
The sellout crowd got to see plenty of action, from a goal-trading first two periods to the deflating score from Cleary from behind the right post that somehow squeezed past goalie Ilya Bryzgalov with 6:19 left.
Todd Bertuzzi sealed up the sweep in the first-round Western Conference series less than 2 minutes later, knocking in a shot off the skate of Coyotes' defenseman David Schlemko in what might have been the Coyotes' final game in the desert.
Patrick Eaves scored his second goal on an empty net, Tomas Holmstrom and Niklas Kronwall also scored, and Detroit earned some time to relax and recuperate before the next round with a dominating series over a team that took the Red Wings to seven games last season.
Playing in front of potential owner Michael Hulsizer, who talked with fans outside before the game and sat in the stands, the Coyotes kept up with Detroit's multitude of scoring lines on goals from Taylor Pyatt, Shane Doan and Martin Hanzal. The Coyotes saluted the crowd at center ice after the game as most of the fans stuck around, but now head into the offseason not knowing if they'll ever play in the desert again.
Capitals 4, Rangers 3, 2OT
NEW YORK (AP) - Jason Chimera scored 12:36 into the second overtime and Washington completed a three-goal comeback to push New York to the brink of elimination in the Eastern Conference series.
New York scored three times in the second period to take a 3-0 lead and seemed poised to head back to Washington all even in the series for Game 5 on Saturday. But the top-seeded Capitals rallied to take a 3-1 lead and can advance to the second round with a win at home.
Alexander Semin started Washington's rally, and Marcus Johansson scored twice in the third to make it 3-3.
The Rangers built their big lead on a goal by Artem Anisimov and tallies just 7 seconds apart by Marian Gaborik and Brandon Dubinsky. Henrik Lundqvist was the hard-luck loser after making 49 saves.
Michal Neuvirth made 36 saves for Washington.
Penguins 3, Lightning 2, 2OT
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - James Neal scored 3:38 into the second overtime to give Pittsburgh a 3-1 lead over Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference series.
Neal gathered a loose puck along the boards and sent the winning shot past goalie Dwayne Roloson, who had 50 saves for Tampa Bay. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 29 shots - nine in the extra periods - for the Penguins.
Game 5 is Saturday in Pittsburgh.
Martin St. Louis scored late in the second period and Sean Bergenheim added his first career playoff with less than 4 minutes remaining in regulation as Tampa Bay rallied from a 2-0 deficit for the second straight game. But unlike Game 3, when Pittsburgh's Tyler Kennedy countered with the winning goal just 31 seconds after the Lightning tied it, Tampa Bay took this one into overtime.
Kennedy and Arron Asham scored in regulation for Pittsburgh.
Sabres 1, Flyers 0
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Ryan Miller made 32 saves for his second shutout of the playoffs and Buffalo beat Philadelphia to even the Eastern Conference series 2-2.
Jason Pominville scored at 9:38 of the first period to help the Sabres rebound from two straight losses.
It was Miller's third career playoff shutout and second of the series after he stopped 35 shots in Buffalo's 1-0 victory in Game 1. Flyers goalie Brian Boucher made 28 saves.
Game 5 is Friday night in Philadelphia.
Ducks 6, Predators 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Corey Perry's short-handed goal at 1:17 of the third period put Anaheim ahead to stay and the Ducks beat Nashville to tie the Western Conference series 2-2.
Game 5 is Friday night in Anaheim, with Ducks forward Bobby Ryan set to return from a two-game suspension.
Perry also had two assists. Cam Fowler had a power-play goal and had an assist, and Ryan Getzlaf, Brandon McMillan, Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu added goals. Patric Hornqvist, Joel Ward and Matt Halischuck scored for Nashville, which blew a chance for its first ever 3-1 series lead.
