IT CAME FROM OUT OF THE ICE : COYOTES (5) VS REDWINGS (2) 12/22/19
CAPSULE : Remember that time when I said that New Jersey was the worst team in the league. Well now that distinction belongs to the Redwings. So of course that means the the Coyotes could be in deep trouble. They typically play down to their competition or up to it at times. This isn’t the time of year to be doing that. The Redwings come in with a record of 9-25-3. The Coyotes suffered a costly defeat in Glendale on Thursday losing 8-5 and losing Darcy Kuemper. The Coyotes come in with the second best road record in the entire NHL and a record of 20-13-4.
LYUBUSHKIN (46) – Had a nice shot in the 1st period that had to be save off the stick of the Redwings tender right near his head. Overall a very solid night for him.
KELLER (9) – Scored on a weak shot after a really good assist by Schmaltz in the 1st period. Later in the fist period he fired one over Howard’s (the Detroit Redwings goalie) blocker to make the scored 2-0 Coyotes.
Keller also had an assist on the Soderberg goal in the 2nd period. Keller is extremely talented so it’s nice to see him getting and taking his chances. This is another night where Keller came to play, which has been his usual lately. He also had to play some defense in the 2nd breaking up a potential Detroit shot after their guy slid past Gross. Keller hit the post late in the 3rd period which would have given him a hat-trick.
SCHMALTZ (8) - Probably has about 1,900,00 assists on the season now. It seems like he has one every couple of minutes. He had an assist on the first goal of the game making it 1-0 at the time, then another assist on the second goal of the game. Both in the 1st period.
OEL (23) – Don’t worry about it…just 2 assist in the first period to go with Schmaltz’s effort. I also wouldn’t even think about touching his goalie, because he will punch you into next week. This is the kind of captain he is, after 2 periods he told Todd Walsh that they needed to do a better job not turning over pucks. After last Thursday, staying focused even with a 3-0 lead at the time is how you keep out of trouble as the game goes on. His monster shot in the 3rd turned into an assist on Dvorak’s goal in the 3rd.
SODERBERG (34) – Got credit for the 3rd goal of the game, which is great, but on the play Howard actually knocked the goal in on himself.
HINOSTROZA (13) – Hit the crossbar trying to get his 5th goal of the season, early in the 2nd.
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (79) – Got beat on a play after putting a nice shot on net on the other end. Fortunately Keller saved his bacon, threw in some toast and a couple of eggs over easy at half price. In the 2nd with about 30 seconds to go he broke up a Redwings surge to get the puck out of the zone. It seems like he is blending in well with the defense so far. I will say his shot came as advertised. He also had an assist on the Dvorak goal in the 3rd which was his first NHL assist.
ALL WE ARE IS JUST A.... NOTHER BRICK IN THE HALL (91) - Hit the post in the 2nd period. I will say the Redwings seemed keyed in on him whenever he go the puck, he was getting double and triple teamed, but it wasn’t enough in the 3rd when the Coyotes had a delayed penalty and Hall scored. The shot is now somewhere speeding over the Atlantic ocean after ripping a hole in the space time continuum.
STEPAN THE GAS (21) – Lead the team in shots on net with 5. Overall a pretty good game for him tonight.
OESTERLE (82) – Probably his best game of the season with 2 decent shots and an assist on the Hall goal in the 3rd.
CHRISTMAS EVE MOVIE LINE UP FOR US - “A Christmas Story” and “Die Hard”.
DVORAK (18) – Scored a great goal in the 3rd deflecting an OEL shot.
GOLIGOSKI (33) – Took a dumb penalty in the 3rd, but that did almost lead to a short-handed goal for Oesterle who got robbed on the save by Howard.
CROUSE (67) – Had a decent game, 2 shots, 3 hits and a block.
GONNA - Message Nissan and tell them that I still have never gotten a real car for Christmas. I get that they are trying to sell cars, but anyone reading this ever really get a car on Christmas? I mean, I can say I probably rock all of you on getting socks. Not cars though.
GARLAND (83) - Looked a bit rusty after a few games out due to injury, but he did get a shot on net his line looked good for the most part.
KESSEL (81) – Continues racking up the points with an assist on the Hall goal.
GRABNER (40) – Outside of a breakaway short handed early that ended up in a shot but not a goal it wasn’t a great night for him.
RICHARDSON (15) – Not much on the stat sheet for him tonight. He also wasn’t his usual self in the face-off circle.
CHYCHRUN (6) – Great night for him, 3 shots, 2 blocks and 2 hits. His game is just out of control good right now.
RAANTA (32) – Can’t really blame him for either of their 2 goals. One of them he was playing without a stick. Stellar night for him.
EXTERNAL ICE - Calgary won 5-1. Not great for the Coyotes because they are also in the Pacific Division. They now have 43 points and a 19-14-5 record. Dallas that lost to them is now 20-14-4 with 44 points.
WRAP UP – This was a game you would expect the Coyotes to win big and they did. Having said that, 10 goals in 2 games allowed and 10 goals scored. If the defense keeps it going like they did tonight only allowing 2, look the freak out. Raanta looked outstanding tonight which is what the Coyotes expected having treated him almost like the starting goalie along with Kuemper. It looks like Kuemper could be out for up to 6 weeks. The Coyotes are 21-13-4 with 46 points and will continue to retain 1st place in the Pacific Division at least for tonight.
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