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GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Antoine Vermette scored late in the first period, Mike Smith stopped 23 shots and the Phoenix Coyotes got back to their defensive ways in a 1-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night. After some shaky performances coming out of the Olympic break, the Coyotes had a strong night in their own end, blocking shots and limiting scoring opportunities. Phoenix held Vancouver to 12 shots until midway through the third period. Smith made some tough saves down the stretch for his third shutout of the season and 27th in his career, helping Phoenix move ahead of Vancouver to tie Winnipeg for ninth in the Western Conference. Eddie Lack kept Vancouver in it with 31 saves, but the Canucks were unable get much going offensively to lose for the ninth time in 10 games. Both teams needed a jump-start after slipping down the Western Conference pecking order. Vancouver lost seven straight games before the Olympic break and followed a victory over St. Louis by losing to Minnesota, then Ottawa. Adding to the Canucks problems, Daniel Sedin, tied for the team lead in points, suffered a lower-body injury against the Senators and was out against the Coyotes. The team also dealt veteran goalie Robert Luongo to Florida earlier Tuesday. Phoenix has been inconsistent since starting the season strong, following wins against some of the NHLs best teams with losses against some of the worst. Despite saying they needed to play with urgency, the Coyotes have laboured since the Olympic break ended, earning one point in three games. Phoenix has had trouble holding leads, coughing it up five times in the past 11 games, including Sundays 4-2 loss to the Blues, when they gave up four goals in the third period. Vancouver had a similar problem against the Senators, allowing four straight goals after going up 2-0. The Coyotes and Canucks played with a testiness expected between two teams scrapping for a playoff spot, with plenty of hitting, pushing and shoving throughout the first period. Phoenix had good pressure in the period and broke through late when Vermette fought off two Canucks and took a couple of swipes before knocking in a rebound for his 22nd of the season. The Coyotes kept up the pressure in the second period, but Lack was sharp, making some tough saves, particularly during an early Phoenix flurry. Vancouver couldnt find any holes in Phoenixs defence, though, going 13 minutes spanning the second and third periods without a shot on goal. The Coyotes thought they had a 2-0 lead when Mikkel Boedker scored midway through the third period. But it was waved off because Vermette, who was being held down by two Canucks players, was in the crease. It didnt matter the way they were playing defence and Smith was seeing pucks in his crease. Notes: A moment of silence was held before the game for two Phoenix police officers, including one who died, during a shootout on Monday. ... The Coyotes added what they hope will be a valuable scorer, acquiring Martin Erat and John Mitchell from the Capitals for forward Chris Brown, defenceman Rostislav Klesla and a fourth-round selection in the 2015 draft. ... Coyotes C Martin Hanzal did not play due to a lower-body injury. ... Vermette has scored 11 of his 22 goals this season against Canadian opponents. ... Vancouver plays at Dallas on Thursday in another game against a team fighting for one of the Wests last playoff spots. Brian Leetch Jersey . The injury could land Machado on the 15-day disabled list, but its not as serious as it looked on Monday night, when the third baseman crumpled in a heap at the plate after taking an awkward swing in a game against the New York Yankees. Rod Gilbert Jersey . 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The San Angelo, Texas product, who was a high school and college quarterback sensation in the Lone Star State, will start his first CFL game with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-4) on Friday at Mosaic Stadium against the leagues top team, the Calgary Stampeders (11-2).MIAMI - Not much happened in the NBA this week.Klay Thompson scored an NBA-record 37 points in a perfect quarter that defied even video-game logic, Kobe Bryants season likely ended, Brandon Jennings season definitely ended, the All-Star starter selections were revealed with Stephen Curry winning the overall vote and Kyle Lowry getting enough Twitter love to edge Dwyane Wade as a starter, Atlanta remained insanely hot, LeBron James airballed a free throw and Miamis Hassan Whiteside became the sixth player to post a 14-point, 13-rebound, 12-block game.OK, other than that, not much happened.So what will this coming week do for an encore?Well, theres the announcement of the All-Star reserves, which will bring a fair amount of intrigue. The Hawks — now winners of 16 straight — play the final three games of their seven-game homestand, so that streak might not be ending anytime soon. And dont look now, but the Cleveland Cavaliers have suddenly won six in a row, putting a quick end to all that speculation about David Blatts short-term job security.Heres a more in-depth look at the week ahead:SOUTHWEST BATTLES: The best divisional race in the NBA will be in the Southwest, and it heats up this week when Memphis faces Dallas on Tuesday, then the Mavericks meet Houston the following night. Heres how good those teams have been this season: San Antonio is a fourth-place team in that division right now.PIERCE IN L.A.: Washington visits the Lakers on Tuesday, which means Paul Pierce returns to Los Angeles — he was born in Oakland, but went to high school in the L.A. suburb of Inglewwood.dddddddddddd In 34 past games in Los Angeles, including playoffs, Pierce has averaged 23.3 points.BIG SUNDAY IN BOSTON: The Celtics are home on Sunday, playing host to the Miami Heat. If Boston fans, some of the best in the NBA, seem distracted its for a very good reason: That game starts 5 1/2 hours before the New England Patriots meet the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. Theres only two NBA games on Super Bowl Sunday, both should end long before kickoff and none of the teams involved — the Heat, Celtics, Lakers and Knicks — have to play the next day, so everyone would theoretically have the chance to watch the Pats-Seahawks game if so inclined.HAWKS WEEK: Atlanta has games against Brooklyn, Portland and Philadelphia, as the Hawks look to extend their winning streak. The Hawks are 37-8 so far this season. They went 38-44 last season.CAVS AT WOLVES: Kevin Love makes his return to Minnesota in Cleveland colours on Saturday night, and as if proof is needed that the former Timberwolves stars first appearance there as an opponent is a big deal, consider that tickets on the secondary resale markets are going for about five times as much as they do for most other Minnesota games.___STAT OF THE WEEK, PART I: Thompson has more 37-point quarters this season on his own — one — than four teams, Brooklyn, Detroit, Indiana and Miami.STAT OF THE WEEK, PART II: On Saturday, Pierce made his 2,000th 3-pointer of his career. Hes the fourth player in NBA history to get there, and the first forward on that list (joining Ray Allen, Reggie Miller and Jason Terry). ' ' '