PHOENIX (AP) -- If 14-plus NHL seasons taught Todd Gill that he's not a scorer, they also gave him an idea how to impersonate one.

The 34-year-old defenseman scored his first goal in a Phoenix uniform Saturday night, breaking a third-period tie with a shot that sent the Coyotes to a 3-1 victory over Chicago.

"I'll take 50 of those if they'll let me, but I'm satisfied with one," said Gill, who kicked the puck to himself, dribbled it as he charged down the slot, and thought about a forehand shot before beating Jocelyn Thibault with a backhander with 9:33 left.

Dallas Drake also scored, Keith Tkachuk scored into an empty net with 25 seconds left, and Bob Essensa made 20 saves to extend the Coyotes' winning streak to three straight.

Tony Amonte kept his six-game scoring streak alive, but couldn't keep the Blackhawks from losing their fourth in a row, the last three on the road.

Chicago coach Lorne Molleken didn't know that coach Bob Francis gave the Coyotes a tongue-lashing after the first period, but he saw the results when the Coyotes outshot his team 24-11 margin in the last two periods.

"When things are going the direction they're going, sometimes it happens," Molleken said. "I thought the first period we played extremely well. Second period, our emotion and intensity level dropped, and Phoenix took their game to another level."

Thibault had 29 saves and weathered seven Phoenix power plays, but couldn't handle the Coyotes at even strength.

The Blackhawks killed three Phoenix power plays in the first 13:39 of the first period, then scored quickly when they got their first advantage.

Chicago was just 16 seconds into the power play when Alexei Zhamnov sent a crossing pass to Amonte, who let fly from the off circle and beat Essensa on the far side with 4:07 left in the period.

It was the first power-play goal scored on the Coyotes -- who came in as the NHL's top penalty-killers -- in the last 13 opponents' chances.

But Drake tied it 2:30 into the second period, when he jammed in a rebound from the top of the crease just before a blow in the back knocked him sprawling.

He said Francis' pep talk inspired him.

"They're a desperate hockey club, and we weren't doing well. Coach came in and reamed us out a little bit, and we responded real well," Drake said.

Gill spent two minutes in the penalty box just before scoring the winner and got it seven seconds after returning to the ice.

He took a long pass from Juha Ylonen that went under Chicago defenseman Bryan McCabe's stick and beat Thibault on the near side.

"I think I might start for the Suns tomorrow," Gill joked about the bouncing puck.