IT CAME FROM OUT OF THE ICE : COYOTES (4) VS DUCKS (2) 1/2/20

IT CAME FROM OUT OF THE ICE : COYOTES (4) VS DUCKS (2)  1/2/20

CAPSULE :  The Ducks have gone 4-5-1 in the past 10 games and sit in 7th spot in the Pacific, with an overall record of 16-19-5. Their biggest struggles have been on the road where they have won just 6 games all season. The Ducks are pretty good at face-offs (7th best in the NHL) which could give the Coyotes less time with the puck. The Coyotes will try to get to .500 tonight at home where they are average at best with a 9-10-1 record. Overall however the Coyotes come into this game 2nd in the Pacific with 48 pts and a record of 22-16-4. The teams Penalty Kill has been better of late and is operating at 82.3% coming into this game. That is 7th best in the NHL.

CHYCHRUN (6) – Got beat in the 1^st period behind the net which lead to a good scoring chance for the Ducks. He later got beat again trying to pinch up into the offensive zone. The play lead to a breakaway for the Ducks and they scored putting them up 2-1 at the time.

HINOSTROZA (13) – Had a huge breakaway with Fisher to his right in the 1^st. He was able to get the pass to Fisher, but Fisher couldn’t bury it. On that one, I would have almost rather seen him fake the pass, because Gibson was clearly leaning to that side anticipating it. Late in the 1^st Hinostroza had another opportunity in close and was just inches from scoring on a backhand shot.  He did get an assist on the Richardson goal in the 3^rd period.

CROUSE (67) – Scored into a wide open net on an available puck, after Kessel probably purposely missed the net on a hard shot that hit the boards behind the Ducks tender. It was Crouse’s 8^th goal of the season and put the Coytoes up 1-0 at the time. He ended up getting the 2^nd star of the game. A very good game out of him tonight.

KESSEL (81) – Got 2 more assists to add to his pile of assists on the Crouse goal in the 1^st period. It was probably a shot, but it ended up more like a pass. I have no idea, you will have to ask Phil on that one. The assist on the Dvorak goal was definitely a pass in the 3^rd. So you know, we don’t have to debate that later.

STEPAN (21) –  Has struggled for quite some time getting on the offensive points sheet. In his last 20 games he has only had 2 goals and 3 assists.  He did have an assist on the Crouse goal in the 1^st period as well as a few really good shots.  

GARLAND (83) – This probably won’t come as a shock, but Conor leads the team in goals with 14. He has done this with 21 less shots than either Keller or Kessel.  It’s hard to blame a scoring opportunity for the other team on a forward, but the Ducks tied it 1-1 late in the 1^st getting a 2 on 1 breakaway after Garland hit a Ducks player that had one of our D-men tied up on the play. That left just 1 Coyote to beat when Garland should have slid back into to defend on the play. In the 3^rd period Garland had an assist on the Dvorak goal.

DVORAK (18) –  Did not mess around to start the 3^rd period and buried one 5 hole on Gibson to tie the game at 2-2 at the time. It was his first shot of the game.

RICHARDSON (15) –   Only has 2 goals on the entire year. Tonight was the 2^nd one at a key time he was right in the center of the net for a Fischer pass that came off a fake shot by him. It is great to see Richardson back on the score board because he has been a pretty good face-off mean all year and they could really benefit if he gets it going. His goal put the Coyotes up 3-2 at the time.

SODERBERG (34) – Had a good tip-in goal in the 3^rd period to put the Coyotes up 4-2. That tip-in came in off a hard Keller shot.

SCHMALTZ (8) –  Lead the team in assists with 25 coming into the game. If you are needing a goal scored, Nick is going to assist you on that goal more often than not.

GILA MONSTER -  I don’t know why, but I find it odd that there are so many board on the rink that advertise Gila River. Doesn’t everyone already know they are at Gila River Arena? Was that not clear?

KELLER (9) – Had an assist on the 4^th goal for the Coyotes. It’s possible the shot might have gotten in, but it was just a great tip-in by Soderberg in any case. Keller definitely needs to get it going, so even an assist is a decent move forward.

FISCHER (36) –  Had an assist on the Richardson goal in the 3^rd.

FAN CAVE – Anyone know how much the Fan Cave costs? I could care less about beer, I just wanna play bubble hockey and get unlimited food.

OEL (23) –  I spend a lot of time thinking OEL should shoot more, but he already is shooting more. He is in the top 5 on the team with 90 shots on goal this year.

HALL (91) – Had an assist on the Dvorak goal. He had a shot, a hit and a block in the game, but overall his ice time was a lot more valuable than that, setting up plays and getting back on defense on multiple occasions to break up plays.

DEMERS (55) – This was a fair game for him, but I would still like to see him get going. Yeah – I know he’s a defensemen, but he’s got dynamic play ability.

GOLIGOSKI (33) –  Fairly solid game for him tonight, 1 shot on goal and 1 hit.

LYUBUSHKIN (46) – Very solid game out of him. Two bombs launched on goal and 2 hits.

LOST IN THE STORY ARC -  Season 2 of Lost In Space on Netflix has some amazing single episodes and some great dialog and effects. However  I am hoping they answer some questions, because I have no idea what is going on in the overall story arc for this thing.

OESTERLE (82) –  Was in the right places at the right times tonight. The team needed his work ethic.

RAANTA (32) – His 2^nd really solid game in a row. He would probably like that 2^nd goal back, but he stood up when he needed to.

EXTERNAL ICE -  Edmonton took on Buffalo in Buffalo tonight and lost in the over-time 3-2 which helps the Coyotes. The Flames defeated the Rangers putting them at 21-17-5 with 47 points. Vancouver beat Chicago putting them at 22-15-4 with 48 points and the Golden Knights beat the Flyers 5-4 moving 2 pts ahead of the Coyotes with 52 points. The Coyotes do have a game in hand.  

WRAP UP –  This was a gut check game for the Coyotes going into the 3^rd period down by a goal to a team that beat them earlier in the season. 3 Unanswered goals in the 3^rd period sealed the Ducks fate and gave the Coyotes 2 very important points. The race for the playoffs is absolutely nuts right now. The Coyotes are now 23-16-4.