GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Dave Tippett was asked why it seems that special teams are deciding the outcome of so many recent Coyotes games.
"Because that's an easy thing to look at; it's an easy thing for you guys to see," the Coyotes coach said after Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks at Gila River Arena. "When your power play doesn't score and you give up one, that's the difference in the game."
San Jose forward Joe Pavelski scored his league-leading 11th power-play goal while the Arizona power play went 0 for 3. But there were countless other missed opportunities in Tuesday's game that led to the Coyotes' 14th loss in 23 home games.
There was also one very bad break early in the third period that produced the game-winning goal. San Jose defenseman Brenden Dillon sent a seemingly harmless shot from the point that changed direction off defenseman Zbynek Michalek's skate and slipped between goalie Devan Dubnyk's pads 5:15 into the third period.
Michalek said he was trying to block the shot, just as he has done hundreds of times before.
"You hate to lose on a goal like that especially because I thought we played a decent game; we battled hard," Michalek said. "You feel like whatever you do, nothing goes your way."
There was little to complain about from an effort standpoint. Several hours after forward Brandon McMillan and defenseman Chris Summers were waived, they were back in the lineup, particularly because recalled defenseman Philipe Samuelsson didn't arrive in time to play.
Whether the roster moves were a motivating factor or not, the Coyotes jumped from the opening faceoff. Right winger Mikkel Boedker opened the scoring on a goal that almost didn't materialize. Boedker appeared headed for a line change when the puck squirted out to him near the blue line. Boedker spun, faked a shot to freeze a defender and goalie Antti Niemi, then scored through a Kyle Chipchura screen to give Arizona a 1-0 lead at the 14:19 mark of the first period.
It was Boedker's team-leading 13th goal of the season, his fourth goal in his past three games and his third straight game with a goal. Eleven of his goals have come on home ice.
"It's going in and I'm getting good looks," he said. "I'm getting the puck in good spots. It's nice to produce and score but it's kind of overshadowed when we lose."
Even when Pavelski and Tomas Hertl scored early in the second period to give San Jose a 2-1 lead, the Coyotes didn't deflate.
Shane Doan tied the game with his 10th goal of the season at the 10:59 mark of the second period off a pass from behind the net by center Antoine Vermette. Vermette was trying to feed left winger Martin Erat in the slot, but the pass banked off Sharks center Logan Couture and onto Doan's stick for an easy backhand into an open net.
"I thought the effort was excellent and I thought we competed hard," Tippett said. "We came up a little short."
Doan left the game in the third period after blocking a shot in the first that finally caught up with him.
"He was hobbling pretty good in (the locker room)," Tippett said.
The Coyotes will have a better idea at Wednesday's practice about Doan's availability for the final game of this six-game homestand Thursday against Calgary.
Follow Craig Morgan on Twitter
