PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Ladislav Nagy added his name to an unusual Thanksgiving tradition for the Phoenix Coyotes.
Nagy recorded his first career hat trick as the Coyotes snapped a three-game skid by holding on for a 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.
Nagy, who also had a career-high four points, notched the third hat trick by a Coyote on Thanksgiving. Keith Tkachuk accomplished the feat in 1996 and Jeremy Roenick did it three years later. The hat trick was the first by a Coyote since one by Daymond Langkow on January 24.
"It is a great feeling scoring three goals and getting the four points," Nagy said. "It is a great feeling and hopefully it is not the last one."
Phoenix hosted a game on Thanksgiving for the sixth time in eight years, improving to 4-2 in that span.
Nagy opened the scoring just over nine minutes into the contest. He added his second of the game for a 3-3 tie with 11 1/2 minutes left in the second period. His final tally came on a wrister that beat Kings goaltender Roman Cechmanek for a 5-3 advantage early in the final period.
"We had a good discussion yesterday and we knew Ladislav was going to be ready for this one," Phoenix coach Bob Francis said. "That line in general was the difference."
Kings coach Andy Murray went for an extra attacker and it paid off when Eric Belanger scored to cut the deficit to 5-4 with 3:25 to go. Los Angeles had a chance to tie, but defenseman Joseph Corvo was stuffed by Sean Burke in close with 54 seconds left.
Tyson Nash scored his first goal of the season into an empty net with 37 seconds to go to seal it.
"We didn't give them much, but what we game them put it right on their stick or we made ridiculous mistakes at the wrong time, and we have to be better," Murray said.
Burke stopped 39 shots, including 19 in the final period, as Los Angeles mounted a huge charge.
"It was definitely no Mona Lisa, it was more like the dogs playing around the pool table," Francis said. "They came at us hard in the third period and Burkie would be the first one to say he gave up a couple of soft ones early but he was outstanding when it counted in the third."
The Kings got a power-play goal by Mike Cammalleri and a goal by Jon Sim 45 seconds apart early in the second period for a 3-2 lead. They held the lead for nearly 10 minutes before Nagy tied it.
Phoenix made it 4-3 on Shane Doan's eighth goal of the season with just over three minutes left in the period. Defenseman Radoslav Suchy's slap shot bounced off the skate of Doan into the net. Cechmanek argued to no avail that Doan kicked in the puck.
Los Angeles left wing Luc Robitaille recorded his 700th assist on Cammalleri's goal. He joined Jon Bucyk as the only left wings to reach the mark.
The Coyotes also ended a six-game winless streak against the Kings, avenging a 7-3 loss on November 1.
