Bryzgalov stops Ducks as Coyotes win in shootout

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Another example of why the Ducks badly wanted to keep Jean-Sebastien Giguere and hated to let Ilya Bryzgalov go without anything in return was provided Tuesday night.

The former teammates didn’t make it easy for any player with designs on putting the puck across the goal line. Again.

Much like their first game against each other in January, Giguere and Bryzgalov matched each other save for save before Radim Vrbata’s decisive goal in the shootout gave the Phoenix Coyotes a 3-2 victory at Jobing.com Arena.

The Ducks (39-25-8) managed a point but missed a chance at another when Todd Bertuzzi, Todd Marchant and Chris Pronger came up empty on their tries. It left them three points behind Dallas and four behind San Jose, which took over the Pacific Division lead with a win at Nashville.

Now the Ducks have just 10 games remaining in their quest to defend their division title and secure home ice in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“There’s only so many points available,” Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle said. “There’s teams that are desperate for points and we’re one of them.”

The duel was a picture of what Ducks fans saw for two full seasons when Bryzgalov was in Anaheim. Giguere was steady and clutch and Bryzgalov was sometimes erratic and occasionally brilliant.

Bryzgalov came out ahead for the third consecutive time against his former team, all via the shootout. Neither budged in regulation and overtime as Giguere made 37 saves to Bryzgalov’s 35 stops.

The difference might have come in overtime when the Ducks had a four-on-three power play courtesy of the Coyotes’ Shane Doan high-sticking Samuel Pahlsson. Pronger, Scott Niedermayer and Francois Beauchemin all shot wide of the net and Teemu Selanne was stopped by Bryzgalov in the final seconds.

Bryzgalov was put on waivers by the Ducks on Nov. 17 when General Manager Brian Burke upheld a promise to move the Russian netminder when it became clear that he wouldn’t be able to get a deal done to his liking.

Now he’s trying to keep Phoenix’s longshot playoff hopes alive. The Coyotes have won the last four meetings this season and five of six overall.

“They’re an energetic hockey club,” Carlyle said. “They’ve got some young players. With the addition of Bryz in their net, he’s given them some solid goaltending.”

It took a benign backhand shot by Marchant to break the ice as the puck squirted between Bryzgalov’s legs.

Ryan Getzlaf gave the Ducks a two-goal advantage in the second period when he managed to control Chris Kunitz’s saucer pass and banged in his 22nd goal.

Later in the second period, Doan picked up a pass at the blue line from rookie linemate Peter Mueller and ripped a slap shot past Giguere from the top of the right circle.

Keith Yandle tied it when his shot from the point got past a screened Giguere for a power-play goal with 8:33 remaining in regulation.

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TONIGHT

vs. Vancouver, 7, FSN Prime

Site -- Honda Center.

Radio -- 830.

Records -- Ducks 39-25-8; Canucks 35-24-10.

Record vs. Canucks -- 0-3-0.

Update -- The Ducks have never been swept by Vancouver in a season series. Defenseman Mathieu Schneider’s streak of 32 consecutive games without being a minus player, which ended in last week’s loss to Colorado, is the longest in the NHL this season. Schneider was a plus-21 entering Tuesday night.

Tickets -- (877) 945-3946.

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eric.stephens@latimes.com