WHAT I SAW : COYOTES (4) VS KINGS (2) 3/9/19

WHAT I SAW : COYOTES (4) VS KINGS (2) 3/9/19

Well it's kind of hard to count on the Sabres these days. Once a team that looked like a sure playoff team, now looks like they won't even come close to a Wild Card spot. What really stood out about this one was that the Avs only allowed 18 shots on net. Most nights, that isn't going to get you a win. The good news for the Coyotes here is that the next game the Avs play is against a really tough Carolina Hurricanes team, the same Canes that beat the Preds tonight.  

Not sure if this really helps out the Coyotes much at this point, but down the road a few games it could. At 4:42 PM the Blues now have just an 8 point lead on the Coyotes. What might be an even bigger deal however is that the Sharks have moved into 1st place overall in the Conference. So if the Coyotes end up in the last Wild Card spot, they would have a chance of drawing the Sharks 1st. This is provided the Sharks end up 1st in the Division, and have the best record in the Conference. Why is that good? Well historically the Coyotes have matched up very well against the Sharks. They have struggled with the Flames. 
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DVORAK (18) – Hit the post about 5:50 into the first period.  Not long after that he tipped on in past the LA tender on the Power Play. That first Power Play looked freakin incredible. Zipping around the puck like crazy. The same configuration did not look as good on the Coyotes 2^nd PP. In the 3^rd DVORAK put in a rebound from a GOLIGOSKI shot to score the Coytoes 3^rd goal. It was about about that time that Doughty exploded into a million pieces. 

GRABNER (40) – "We've played the way we want to play regardless of who was in the lineup. … I saw everyone put in 100 percent and buy into the system and the philosophy. We've had some key injuries and we're right there to make the playoffs." – Quote from prior to tonights game. Put a sick shorty past the Kings goalie in the 1^st. He had a breakaway, hesitated on a potential pass to RICHARSON, the play was cut off and hit just ripped it into the net. He has 5 short-handed goals on the season (the most in the NHL) after missing 41 games with an eye injury. His speed is absolutely nuts. It was highlighted again in the 3^rd, when he put a breakaway shot in net for the Coyotes 4^th goal of the night.

GOLDBERG – Sitting in for Matt McConnell on the play by play tonight. Best wishes to Matt and his family. He’s out of town on a family matter. Goldberg sounds like a bit of a Kings fan. Uggh. Some Coyotes fans are already upset that I didn't like his call on the broadcast. Gotta love hockey fans. 

RICHARDSON (15) – His hair is like a shark fin. Bloody hell, why insult the Coyotes fans with his legacy moment holding the Stanley Cup as a King? I mean, congrats to Brad, but whose idea was that? Nothing against Brad and his accomplishment with LA, but what a weird thing to show on a Coyotes broadcast. 

KELLER (9) – Had an assist on the 1^st and 3^rd goals. He had a wide open shot late in the 1^st and the toe of the Kings goalie prevented it at the last second.  No one on the team was even close to the number of shots he had half way through the 2^nd period.

HINOSTROZA (13) – Did not have his usual edge tonight, but he did rip 4 pucks on net, so there is nothing to complain about here.

WOW – That Panda Express commercial with the shrimp flying at my face…. I wanted to jump into my TV screen. I love shrimp.

PANIK (14) – Logged big minutes but only had 1 shot after 2 periods.

DO NO HJALMARRSSON (4) – Ended up in the box after a high hit on a Kings player. He did get his arm right up in the neck area, so I think the penalty was fair. Clifford of the Kings then started pounding HJALMARRSSON with his fists and got called for “roughing”. Gotta love the NHL. Both penalties were minors. The Kings scored on the 4 on 4 that resulted in the 2 penalties.

GALCHENYUK (17) – Had a great little break and took it hard to the net, but ran out of space and hit the side of the net. I have said this before but I love it when GALLY does that. His passing tonight was a bit shaky. 

COUSINS (25) – Had a shot on net. I didn’t love his game tonight.

EMPIRE OF THE SUN - You know the Coyotes are getting respect when they play the post game show, then join the Suns game in progress. 

KEMPE (29) – His brother, who scored for the Kings and immediately ate one of his gloves. No, it wasn’t someone punching him, he literally started chewing on his own glove.

FISHER (36) – Not exactly sure why he’s in the line-up and GARLAND isn’t. I am sure Tocc knows something, but this is just pretty weird.

ARBY’S – Was not lying when they said they had “the meats”. I had 2 bacon and cheddar roast beef sandwiches for dinner.

CROUSE (67) – Had a really solid one-timer in the 2^nd, but didn’t score. He’s starting to get like OESTERLE, both guys I would like to see shoot more. CROUSE had a strong first 2 periods. 4 shots on net and led the team in hits with 5.

BEAT LA, BEAT LA, BEAT LA, BEAT LA, BEAT LA……

CHYCHRUN (6) – Got killed by the Kings Jeff Carter against the boards early in the 1st. Fortunately he came back to life right away and actually finished his shift.

GRAND OLIVER EKMAN-LARSSON (23) – 3 Shots and an assist after 2, I will take that. He won a lot of battles he needed to win tonight and just seems to be improving more and more after a bit of a rough patch for him.

THAT GIRL – In the Coyotes jersey, giving two thumbs down to her boyfriend in the Kings jersey. Classic! Actually maybe that dude is her dad…I have no idea?

GOLIGOSKI (33) – I feel like he could have prevented the LA goal in the 1^st period. He was kind of right there watching the Kings player storm right in on his goalies net and barely made a move to stop it. To his credit, sometimes you do that, and you blow it and it actually causes the goal. So this one has me shaking my head.

DEMERS SOME NICE HITS (55) – Looked a little lost on offense whenever he came up into the offensive zone to try and help out. He did have 4 hits, which was good for second best on the night for the Coyotes. 

KUEMPER (35) – Yet another outstanding game. He was getting peppered most of the 3^rd and held on like a freakin champ. Damn he’s been solid. 

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At one point the Maple Leafs had a 3-0 lead in this one. The Oilers scored their 2 goals in the final 2 minutes and nearly tied it before the buzzer. For the Coyotes it was good they lost, because the Oilers have had it together for about 5 games now. 

This game was a snoozer. All I can say is that Chicago and Edmonton have not given up on this season. Dallas I said a few days ago was "un-reliable". This is what I meant. I do wonder if they will hold up to the pressure. 

I scored this one as a negative for the Coyotes but it's such a small difference at this point that it could have been marked either way. All a Canucks win would have meant was that the Knights were stuck at 79 points and their would be 3 teams instead of two at 67 points. The Knights would need to cool off quite a bit for the Coyotes to have a shot at 3rd in the Pacific. 

TRAGIC NUMBER - The Ottawa Senators were the first team officially eliminated from Playoff contention today with their loss to the Bruins. 

WRAP UP - I don't think other teams are sleeping well at night right now. The Coyotes have 73 pts. The Wild have 74 and one less game left to play. The Stars are at 75. This battle for the final 2 Wild Card spots is just getting crazier and crazier.