Last five games:
Blackhawks: 2 – 2 – 1
Coyotes: 5 – 0 – 0
Last ten games:
Blackhawks: 5 – 4 – 1
Coyotes: 7 – 3 – 0
Record when scoring the first goal:
Blackhawks: 35 – 7 – 5
Coyotes: 33 – 3 – 2
Point Leaders
Blackhawks
Kane(78), Keith(63), Toews(58)
Coyotes
Wolski(52), Doan(51), Lombardi(46)
Goal Leaders
Blackhawks
Kane(26), Toews(22), Hossa(21)
Coyotes
Vrbata(22), Stempniak(21), Wolski(19)
Assists Leaders
Blackhawks
Kane(52), Keith(50), Sharp(37)
Coyotes
Doan(34),Wolski(33), Lombardi(30)
The Coyotes are back in the confines of the Jobing.com arena for a quick one game homestand before going out for another three game road trip. The Coyotes will be coming back to a ‘packed to the rafters’ sold out arena and to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Coyotes are the only team in the NHL that the Blackhawks have yet to get a win against.
The Coyotes are currently in a tough stretch of games at the moment as they just came off a four game east coast road trip and then head right out on the road to play the Stars in Dallas tomorrow night.
I’ve said games like this are a test for the Coyotes many times in the past. However, this game is the beginning of a stretch of games that will be the real test. The Coyotes will more than likely be taking this one game at a time as the Blackhawks are a tremendous challenge unto its self.
Both teams match up perfectly with one another right down to experience on the coaching staff. It’s going to be a great one tonight!
Game Notes:
- Tonight’s game is sold out.
- Lang, Lepisto, Bissonnette, Tikhonov and Vandermeer are being scratched.
- This is the final game of the Blackhawks three game road trip against all Pacific Division teams. They are currently 1-1 on their current road trip.
- Blackhawks are 8-7-2 in their overall games with Pacific Division teams this season. In the last 8 match ups with Pacific Division teams they are 5-2-1
- Antti Niemi will get the start in net for the Blackhawks. Niemi has never faced the Coyotes in his career
- Pregame presser with Dave Tippett (Courtesy PhoenixCoyotes.com):
- FYI Newly Acquired Defenseman Mathieu Schneider is wearing #23. If you don’t see his name in the lineup moving forward it’s not because he’s not on the team anymore, it’s because people are using names of players who used to wear Schneider’s number.
Things to watch for:
Blackhawks Goaltending – As stated above, this is Antti Niemi’s first ever game facing the Coyotes. I am curious as how to the Blackhawks respond to having him in net.
Blackhawks/Coyotes in transition – This should be a key for the game but it’s also something to watch for. One of the things to look at will be how both teams play each other in transition and how it will effect scoring chances.
Keys to the game:
‘A’ Games – The Coyotes need to bring their A games tonight against a tough Blackhawks team. The Blackhawks are indeed beatable. However, if the Coyotes fail to show up like they did in the first part of the Florida game, it’s going to be a long night.
Offensive Challenge – This will be another big test for the newly acquired Coyotes players as they will take on a potentially tough Blackhawks team, defensively speaking.
Tools – As we saw against Florida, the Coyotes have the tools to beat any team in the league this season. I’m not saying that as a boast or as a prediction for tonight’s game. No, this is more of a statement of their character and work ethic. As long as they have this going for them from tonight’s faceoff, they will have the advantage.
Officials:
Referees #19 Gord Dwyer; #20 Tim Peel
Linesmen #57 Jay Sharrers; #82 Ryan Galloway
Injuries/Scratches:
Coyotes: Kurt Sauer(IR), Scottie Upshall(IR), Robert Lang(Day to Day), Lepisto, Bissonnette, Tikhonov and Vandermeer
Blackhawks: Kim Johnsson, Brian Campbell, Cristobal Huet, Brent Seabrook,
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Phoenix Coyotes President and Chief Operating Officer Douglas Moss announced today that individual game tickets for potential Coyotes home games during the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 27.
Fans will have the ability to purchase individual game tickets starting at just $25 to each potential home game of Round 1 of the playoffs at the Jobing.com Arena Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, www.phoenixcoyotes.com/playofftickets or by calling 480-563-PUCK (7825). In addition, playoff strips, which include tickets to each potential home game throughout the entirety of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the same seat location, are also available. For information on playoff strips, call 480-563-PUCK (7825).
Any fan looking to gain priority over the general public in choosing seat locations for 2010-11 Season Tickets can do so by purchasing full playoff strips or by putting down a refundable $100 deposit toward next season’s tickets. Those who purchase playoff strips can apply any money left over from unplayed home playoff games toward a refundable credit for next season.
The Coyotes are currently in fourth place in the Western Conference standings and have set a new franchise record for most wins in a single season with 44 victories through 71 games.
For more information about Coyotes 2010 Stanley Cup Playoff tickets, call 480-563-PUCK (7825) or visit www.phoenixcoyotes.com.
I’ll be honest. I didn’t watch the Phoenix Coyotes’ 4-3 shootout win over the Florida Panthers on Thursday night. I was in the final stages of a vacation, and was taking care of some things around the house.
But I did check the score on my phone, and when I saw that Florida led the Coyotes 3-0 heading into the 3rd period, my thought was “oh well, still a good road trip…they were bound to lose one.”
I didn’t check the score again until much later in the evening after doing important things like watching NCAA Tournament basketball and catching up on American Idol from earlier in the week. (Go ahead, take your shots. I deserve it. AI is horrible this season–nearly unwatchable. But I guess I’m basically a junkie at this point. I know it’s bad for me, but I can’t stop.)
Of course, my further research indicated a 4-3 shootout win over the Panthers, extending the Coyotes’ winning streak to 7 games. More importantly, the Coyotes are within three points of first place in the Western Conference. Yes, you read that right.
Then I watched the highlights on NHL.com. Seeing Radim Vrbata’s game-tying goal, which came on a simple dump into the zone with a minute left in the game as goalie Ilya Bryzgalov skated to the bench brought another thought/word into my head. The word is simply “destiny”.
This season was supposed to be a throwaway. The real victory for this franchise was withstanding all of the off-the-ice drama that unfolded over the summer, and fielding a team in October that still called the Valley home. Hell, they played their first six preseason games basically without a real head coach in place.
Nobody, and I mean nobody thought this team would do anything this season, other than draw sparse crowds in Glendale as they extended their own playoff drought to seven seasons.
Not only will this team make the playoffs, but they can make some noise when they get there.
For the first time in years, the Coyotes were buyers at the NHL trading deadline, and Don Maloney did his best King Midas impersonation with the seven deals he made. Lee Stempniak, picked up from Toronto for next to nothing, and has scored at least a point in every game he’s worn a Coyotes’ sweater. Wojtek Wolski was acquired from Colorado, and has 2 goals and 3 assists as a Coyote. Derek Morris, who was re-acquired from Boston, has shored up the depth on the blueline, and has contributed 2 assists in 7 games while playing over 18 minutes per game. Even 40-year old defenseman Mathieu Schneider, picked up from Vancouver, had 2 assists in last night’s win over the Panthers.
More importantly, the Dogs are 7-0 since the deadline.
On Saturday, the Coyotes play host to the Chicago Blackhawks, one of the teams ahead of them in the Western Conference standings. The game is a sellout, and is probably the Coyotes’ biggest home game since moving to the Valley in 1996.
Could be another vital chapter in what is turning into a fairytale-type story.
It took 71 shots on goal to beat the Florida Panthers and netminder Tomas Vokoun last night. That’s right, 71 shots. The Coyotes put 71 shots on goal with Vokoun stopping 46 of them and the Panthers blocking the other 25.
That’s probably the #1 item that should be brought up about the game. The second would be the horrible ice conditions for the second game in a row.
But that’s not all…
The third item that should be brought up about the game was the team character that the Coyotes displayed. This character was something that is not seen too often in sports during the regular season….and it’s paying off at the right times too.
At first the Coyotes showed up to the game in body but not in spirit. It was like watching empty shells of players that were getting beaten badly. The Coyotes were getting beaten by a Florida Panthers team who were out for the kill the moment the puck dropped. Normally Coyotes fans would see their team match and beat the level of play that their opponents brought to the table.
For the first 40 minutes of the game, the Coyotes were just empty shells of their usual self.
But….they never fully quit.
Even after the third Florida goal was scored and many Coyotes fans had changed the channel to Oprah, the Phoenix Coyotes stayed in the game until Martin Hanzal and Lee Stempniak scored less than a minute apart in the third period.
You all know what happened after that.
The point here is what the Coyotes displayed against the Panthers is what fans don’t see all too often from any professional sports teams in this day and age. Fans don’t see teams display character, a killer work ethic, and caring about the logo on the front of their uniforms and not the name on the back. Not like fans saw last night against the Panthers.
This was a great game not only because of the comeback. This was a great game because of the work ethic and character that was instilled on this team from the beginning of the season is paying off at the right times.
Now I know there are other major story lines in this game. If you’ve read this site for the majority of the season, I let the ‘other guys’ handle the game summations and other canned other cookie cutter post game wrap-ups. Our mission is to fill in the cracks with the ‘other guys’ game summations.
In case you’re wondering, I put all the major game story lines in the game notes below.
Notes from the game:
- The Coyotes are three points behind San Jose (who lost last night in Vancouver) for the Division lead.
- The Coyotes broke a franchise record for wins in a season with 44
- The Coyotes are on a seven game winning streak
- The Official Three Stars are: 3) FLA – Stephen Weiss 2) FLA – Cory Stillman 1) PHX – Radim Vrbata
- Radim Vrbata – 10 shots on goal
- Mathieu Schneider – 2 Assists – +2 – 24:14 minutes of ice time
Last night Florida Panthers Goaltender Tomas Vokoun joined a rare club in the allowing of a center ice goal by Coyotes forward Radim Vrbata.
Vokoun became a permanent member of the Dan Cloutier Beach Ball Club
The Dan Cloutier Beach Ball Club is a hockey related meme that got started on Hockey Message boards in 2002. It’s based on former Vancouver Canucks goaltender Dan Cloutier allowing this center ice goal from Detroit Red Wings defenseman Nick Lidstrom in 2002:
Last five games:
Panthers: 3 – 2 – 0
Coyotes: 5 – 0 – 0
Last ten games:
Panthers: 4 – 5 – 1
Coyotes: 7 – 3 – 0
Record when scoring the first goal:
Panthers: 16 – 8 – 8
Coyotes: 32 – 3 – 2
Point Leaders
Panthers
Weiss(50), Horton(46), Reinprecht(37)
Coyotes
Wolski(51), Doan(51), Lombardi(45)
Goal Leaders
Panthers
Weiss(23), Horton(17), Frolik(17)
Coyotes
Vrbata(21), Stempniak(20), Wolski(19)
Assists Leaders
Panthers
Horton(29), McCabe(27), Weiss(27)
Coyotes
Doan(34),Wolski(32), Lombardi(29)
The Coyotes travel to Sunrise Florida not only for the last game of their 4 game Southeast Conference road trip. The Coyotes also have the opportunity to win their 43rd game of the season which would be a new all-time franchise best.
Not much is known about the young Panthers team except for their goaltender Tomas Vokoun and by looking at the Panthers Stats sheet, they too have balanced scoring across multiple line. They are in 13th place in the Eastern Conference, which doesn’t really mean much because the East is going to be a dogfight for playoff spots. This includes the Panthers.
Like Bryzgalov, Vokoun has the ability to win games all by himself. So this game has the ability to be an extremely tight battle as both teams need to cement their playoff positions.
Game Notes:
- Panthers Reporting that Nathan Horton will be in the lineup tonight for the Panthers
- FYI Newly Acquired Defenseman Mathieu Schneider is wearing #23. If you don’t see his name in the lineup moving forward it’s not because he’s not on the team anymore, it’s because people are using names of players who used to wear Schneider’s number.
Things to watch for:
Goaltending – This game has the potential to be a goaltenders battle like it was in Nashville earlier this season. Goaltending is going to be a key element that dictates who wins.
Keys to the game:
Beat Vokoun – Along with Bryz, he is one of the top netminders in this league. If the team in front of him brings a great effort tonight, we may have another close, grinding game.
Take advantage of the Power Play time – The Panthers have the 29th best Power Play in the League but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they can’t score as the Coyotes have similar Power Play numbers. However, as the Coyotes have one of the best penalty killing units in the league, this will be a challenge to maintain this excellent stat. On the flip side the Coyotes can take advantage of the fact that the Panthers have the 25th best penalty killing unit in the league when on the Power Play.
Don’t allow the Panthers any space to shoot – The game tonight has the makings, on paper, to be another tight defensive battle. However, I’m hesitant to fully say that this is going to be the case as the Panthers lost their last game to Washington 7-3.
Officials:
Referees – # 14 Dennis LaRue; #28 Chris Lee
Linesmen – #78 Brian Mach; #92 Mark Shewchyk
Injuries/Scratches:
Coyotes: Kurt Sauer(IR), Scottie Upshall(IR), Robert Lang(Day to Day),
Panthers: Byron Bitz (IR)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA — The Western Hockey League (WHL) announced today that Coyotes prospect Michael Stone has been named to the WHL Eastern Conference First All-Star Team and was also selected as the Eastern Conference finalist for the WHL Defenseman of the Year Award.
Stone, 19, is currently in his fourth season with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL, where he recorded 21-44-65 and 91 penalty minutes (PIM) in 69 regular season games this year to register career-highs in goals and points. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Stone finished the regular season ranked T-4th in scoring among all WHL defensemen while ranking 4th in scoring on Calgary. Calgary opens the 2010 WHL Playoffs tonight versus the Moose Jaw Warriors.
Last season, Stone registered 19-42-61 and 87 PIM in 69 games for the Hitmen and finished the season ranked 4th in scoring among all WHL defensemen. In 264 career WHL games with Calgary, Stone recorded 52-129-181 with 238 PIM and a +49 rating. He has also collected 5-18-23 and 40 PIM in 49 career WHL playoff games entering the 2010 postseason and helped Calgary advance to the 2009 WHL Championship Series.
Stone, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, was selected by the Coyotes in the third round (69th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA –Phoenix Coyotes President and Chief Operating Officer Douglas Moss announced today that the Coyotes’ home game versus the Chicago Blackhawks at Jobing.com Arena on Saturday, Mar. 20 is sold out.
In addition, the Jobing.com Arena doors will open at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, thirty minutes earlier than normal, to accommodate the fans. The game begins at 6 p.m.
Following Saturday’s game versus Chicago, the next Coyotes home game is Saturday, Mar. 27 versus the Colorado Avalanche at 6 p.m. There are only four regular season home games remaining on the Coyotes’ schedule. The Coyotes are currently in fourth place in the Western Conference standings and play at the Florida Panthers today at 4:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports Arizona and KFNX 1100 AM.
For more information, or to purchase tickets to an upcoming Coyotes game, visit www.phoenixcoyotes.com or call 480-563 PUCK (7825).
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GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Phoenix Coyotes President and Chief Operating Officer Douglas Moss announced today that individual game tickets for potential Coyotes home games during the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 27.
