PHOENIX (AP) -- The Phoenix Coyotes scored early against Ottawa, and still needed something extra from Dallas Drake to hand the NHL's last undefeated team its first loss of the season.

	Phoenix's Mika Alatalo, right, congratulates Keith Tkachuk for scoring in the first period.

Drake scored late in the third period as the Coyotes beat the Senators 4-3 Thursday night. It was the Coyotes' only goal after the first period.

The Coyotes (3-1-2) prevailed despite being outshot 30-16 and matched the best six-game start in franchise history. The Senators fell to 4-1-1 after a furious rally fell short.

"There's a reason they were undefeated coming into tonight's game," Coyotes coach Bob Francis said. "They have a tremendous amount of skill and speed. Getting the lead is very conducive to our style of play, but we knew once we did it they were really going to open things up."

Shane Doan, Keith Tkachuk and Travis Green, who assisted on Drake's decisive goal, scored early for Phoenix. J.J. Daigneault and Jyrki Lumme each had two assists.

The Coyotes, who trailed in all three games of a recent road trip, led from their first shot this time, but needed strong play by goaltender Mikhail Shtalenkov to preserve the win.

He had 27 saves, including 15 in the second period when Ottawa outshot the Coyotes 16-4.

"They're coming at us pretty fierce," Drake said. "We fell into their game plan by turning the puck over a little bit, and they've got some of the fastest forwards in the league. They can get in your zone in a hurry."

Shtalenkov stopped Daniel Alfredsson on a breakaway with 9:30 left in the third to preserve a 3-3 tie.

"That's the whole game right there," Tkachuk said. "He had an unbelievable save, but he's been doing that all year. You know, he's filling some big shoes with (Nikolai) Khabibulin holding out, and he's doing an excellent job."

Magnus Arvedson had a short-handed goal for the Senators and assisted on a goal by Alfredsson. Sami Salo scored on a rebound 3:50 into the third period as the Senators got even with Phoenix for the first time.

But Drake poked a rebound of his own shot past Ottawa's Patrick Lalime with 5:28 remaining in the game, and the Coyotes held on.

"We have the respect now of most teams in the league," said Alfredsson, who also had an assist. "We weren't a marked team tonight. We've made it known that wherever we go, we're not going to be easy to beat anymore."

Senators coach Jacques Martin switched goalies between the first and second periods, replacing Ron Tugnutt, who gave up goals on three of the Coyotes' first six shots.

Lalime, who inherited a two-goal deficit, faced only 10 shots in the final 40 minutes, and had nine saves.

The Coyotes improved their NHL-best, penalty-killing percentage by stopping two Senators power plays. They have allowed one goal in 26 times short-handed.

Shtalenkov also assisted on Doan's goal 4:34 into the game, feeding an outlet pass to Lumme, who sent the puck to Doan at the blue line. The 23-year-old forward, who had only six goals last season, scored his third with a rising wrist shot from the circle.

Then Tkachuk, whose 36-goal total last season was his lowest in four years, got his first goal of the season, converting the second rebound of a shot from the point by Mika Alatalo.

The Coyotes weren't as good with a two-man advantage as they were killing penalties.

Ottawa killed a penalty by Vaclav Prospal, who retrieved the puck as he stepped out of the box and passed to Chris Phillips for a thigh-high pass to Arvedson. He batted the puck and sent it rolling through Shtalenkov's legs for a short-handed goal with 3:05 left in the period.

Green answered 43 seconds later, restoring Phoenix's two-goal lead.

Alfredsson scored on a wraparound for the only goal of the second period.

"Outside of the first period we played a pretty good game," Martin said. "But when you dig yourself a hole, it's tough to get back out."