IT CAME FROM OUT OF THE ICE : COYOTES (6) VS
SHARKS (3) 1/14/20
CAPSULE : After the winter break, not the
All-Star break, the Sharks were convinced they could turn their season around.
Since the start of January they have beaten Pittsburgh, Dallas and Columbus
twice, while losing by just a goal to both Washington and St. Louis. They come
into tonight on a 2 day break and a victory over the Stars, that has them just
7 points out of a Wild Card spot at 21-22-4. The team has struggled
offensively, but is the best in the league at the Penalty Kill, so the fact
that the Coyotes have been terrible at that the last several games, seems to
compound the complexity of the Coyotes special teams challenge tonight. Oddly
even though the Coyotes did not play last night, they have slipped back into
first place in the Pacific Division with a Calgary loss. In a statistical tie
with the Flames, having won 1 more game in regulation than the Flames. Coming
into this one the Coyotes are 25-18-5 and will likely ride Hill in net until
after the All-Star break.
OEL (23) – For the 1st 10 minutes of the 1st
period the Coyotes were doing a pretty good job of cleaning up defensive
mistakes, but were hemmed in their own zone for a long time. OEL broke up a few
plays nicely intercepting passes to keep things in check. He finished the game with 4 hits.
KESSEL (81) :
2 GOALS) – Scored his 10th
goal of the season in the 1st period on a great shot and pass from
Stepan. Those two do seem to be getting some chemistry going on the ice lately.
His shot was a bar-down missile that Dell of the Sharks really had no chance
on. In the 2nd period Kessel would score his 11th goal on
the season on the teams 2nd Power Play of the night. Phil didn’t
celebrate at all, which kind of makes me wonder if he is just starting to get
into a zone offensively. Like he means business or something. This is more the
Kessel the team expected when the brought him here, it is great to see him get
it going. His second goal made it 2-0
Coyotes at the time.
STEPAN (21) – Had a really good assist on
Kessel’s first goal, then in the 3rd put a great pass to Crouse for
another assist. Then finally decided to stop assisting with just over 1 minute
left sending his 3rd assist to Hall for a late empty netter.
CROUSE (67) – Had a great chance to score
in the 1st period on a shot right in front of the net, but couldn’t
cash in. In the 2nd he had a breakaway and put on of his patented
back-handers on Dell, but also couldn’t score on that play. In the 3rd
however he would put the puck over the Sharks goal-tenders pad and put the Coyotes
up 4-2 at the time. That was Crouse’s 11th goal of the season.
HJALMARSSON (4) – Now
has 1,500 blocks over the span of his career. That is almost as many times as I
have tried to un-lock my office door at work with my car keys. You can see this team has a lot more confidence with him in the lineup.
RICHARDSON (15) – Was a bit late
defensively on the Sharks goal in the 2nd period, but the defense
really needed to be better positioned on that play after Hill made the first
save. It’s possible he was hurt because he wasn’t able to return for the 3rd
period. On the Penalty Kill and in the Face-off circle, it sucks not having him
out there.
GARLAND (83) – Was all over the ice in the first 2 periods. He ended up with an assist on Kessel’s second goal. Then in late in
the 2nd he would have another assist on the Hall goal. Late in the 3rd
he would score his 16th goal of the season with an empty netter,
with just over a minute left in the game. That goal put the Coyotes up 5 -3 at
the time.
DVORAK (18) – Had an assist on Kessel’s second goal. He
finished the game with just 1 shot on goal.
KELLER (9) – Couldn’t score on a close in shot
on the Sharks tender in the 2nd period. He also had a quick shot in
the 3rd that looked like it hit Dell right in the noggin. Those 2 shots were his only shots of the night.
HOT CHOCOLATE – A
lot of people have figured out how to make hot chocolate by now with the
chocolate stuff going in the bottom, then putting hot water over that stirring
it in. Not me, I still have this issue with heating the water, then putting the
hot chocolate on the top. Like an idiot.
HALL (91) : 2 GOALS)– A bad pass in the
offensive zone trying to get it in front of the net lead to a break away for
the Sharks where they were able to tie the game at 2-2 in the 2nd
period. He would make up for it late
in the period tipping in a shot from Oesterle in that same period. Then he had
an assist on the Garland empty net goal. On top of that very late in the 3rd
period, he scored another goal that put the Coyotes up 6-3 at the time. He has
been very much on fire as of late.
CHYCHRUN (6) – A pretty rough 2nd
period for him. He did finish the game with 2 hits and a block.
TYSON – If Tyson
Nash is right, there are literally thousands of jockstraps in the rafters at
Gila River Arena.
SODERBERG (34) – Had an amazing move in front of
the net and just lost the puck on an effort that might have gone in with an
actual shot. This was a monster game for him without a goal or an assist.
4 shots on goal, 3 hits and 4 blocks. This is a forward folks.
OESTERLE (82) – Took a monster shot in the
2nd period, that was deflected by Hall and put in the net. That gave
the Coyotes a 3-2 lead at the time.
GRABNER (40) –Didn’t
register a single shot in the game. He also finished the game with just 1
block. This may be why he’s had issues staying in the line up.
SCHMALTZ (8) – 2 shots on goal, but overall this
was a rough one for him tonight.
INTERESTING – The
Coyotes game on Saturday against Pittsburgh was one of only a very few times I
can remember the Coyotes having to kill a 5 on 3 Power Play this season. The
last time was also against Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh on December 6th. Hmmmm….. not complaining, just an
observation.
DEMERS (55) – Had an assist on the Garland
goal in the 3rd period. Having said that, he didn’t have a shot on
goal, a hit or a block. In a game loaded with blocks. So there’s that.
HINOSTROZA (13) – He was the guy before the guy
that assisted the other guy tonight. Just 1 shot on net and not much else, but
you love the guys effort. No complaints here.
GOLIGOSKI (33) – Probably should have been
covering Kane on that late Power Play by the Sharks. That goal by the Sharks
made it 3-4, the Coyotes still had the lead.
HILL (31) – Needs to work on covering the 5 hole,
and not letting himself get caught 3 feet out of the crease. Overall it was a
very solid game out of him tonight. Maybe just stay away from dumb tripping
penalties as well.
EXTERNAL ICE – There are very few players I just can’t stand at all. Marchand is one of them. So I found THIS pretty hilarious. Elsewhere, the Canucks took on the Jets and got shut out 4-0, so that keeps them at 54 points, the Oilers
unfortunately beat the Predators4-2 which puts them at 55
points. The Golden Knights took on the Sabres and got beat 4-2 so that helped
the Coyotes out. The Golden Knights are stuck at 54 points. Just as the Coyotes
have struggled a bit, the Golden Knights have dropped 4 games in a row.
WRAP UP – Huge win for the Coyotes
especially beating a team in the division. The Coyotes go into at least
Thursday night solidly in 1st place in the Pacific Division with a 2
point lead and a record of 26-18-5.
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