COYOTES 2, SHARKS 0: Radim Vrbata returned from injury to score twice and Mike Smith made 38 saves as Phoenix climbed into seventh place in the Western Conference and dropped San Jose to ninth.

Ray Whitney moved within one point of 1,000 with two assists for the Coyotes, who improved to 4-0-1 in their last five meetings with the Sharks.

After a scoreless first period, Vrbata gave Smith all the offensive support he needed at 3:49 of the second. During a power play, Whitney got his own rebound on the doorstep and dished it to Vrbata, who fired the puck into a vacant left side of the net to end his 12-game goalless drought.

Vrbata, who missed two games with a lower-body injury, completed his seventh two-goal performance of the season at 8:17 of the third. Whitney carried the puck down the left wing on a 2-on-1 rush and made a saucer pass from the top of the left faceoff circle that Vrbata converted from the right side of the crease for his 32nd tally.

Smith turned aside 15 shots in the first period, nine in the second and 14 in the third en route to his 17th career shutout and sixth this season - three of which have come against San Jose.

Antti Niemi made 31 saves for the Sharks, who have lost four straight on the road and 12 of 14.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Whitney's next point will make him the 79th player in NHL history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. ... The home team has won seven of the last eight games in the all-time series. ... Phoenix is 1-1-0 on its four-game homestand. ... The Sharks have lost eight of their last nine divisional contests.