Coyotes Look To Tame The Wild

Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Wild are surging on a 3 game win streak. It’s their longest all season. They hope to enter Jobing Arena and push it to 4, but the Phoenix Coyotes have a very different outcome in mind. This game means something for the Coyotes. If they want to keep pace with the Wild for the final Wild Card spot they’ve got to take a game form their Western Conference rivals. Something they’ve done already this season with a 3-1 win in St. Paul, MN on November 27th.

If the Yotes are going to steal one tonight they’re going to need a strong showing from their scoring stars, particularly Mikkel Boedker who is sitting pretty with 3 Goals and 2 Assists in the past four games. If they can somehow manage to spread the wealth the way they did against Calgary on Tuesday they’ll surely be in position for a win. Tuesday’s shut out of the Flames was an impressive rout with goals from Doan, Korpikoski, Boedker, Hanzal, Stone and Klinkhammer.

However, tuesday’s game was a sloppy one and at least two of the goals came from what can only be described as sheer luck. And since luck isn’t a STAT a team can count on the Coyotes are going to have to play a more fundamentally sound game if they hope to match up well against Minnesota. They should be looking for The Wild to get the puck to Ryan Suter who is 1 point shy of his 300th on his career. He’s also coming off a recent Hat Trick against the Washington Capitals. Keeping him under foot is going to be key.

KEY FOR THE GAME: Again it’s going to come down to the Yotes Power Plays. If they can make strides there they’ll not only give themselves an advantage in this game but continue to build momentum for the rest of the season.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Oliver Ekman-Larsson looks to be returning tonight. He said as much on Twitter today anyhow. Now that he’s heading to Sochi to play for his homeland of Sweden expect a new spark on the ice from this now healthy player.