RECAP: Coyotes Loss To Wild By The Books

Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

Last night’s showing against the Minnesota Wild was everything you didn’t want to see out of your team. Not that it was a blow out or even a shut out, but that it was all too familiar to Coyotes fans. Mistakes were made last night that need to be corrected. There were also some mistakes made last night that we thought had been corrected. In fact, there was a plethora of mistakes for the mistake connoisseur! “You want mistakes? We got mistakes! Come on down! And how do you like your mistakes cooked, sir? Sloppy? Oh, we can do that.” What’s with me and the food analogies lately? Alright, as much as I hate to do this let’s go through the scoring.

1st Period: Not much to say here. Nothing too embarrassed happened. Oh, except for the Coyotes doubling the number of Shots On Goal the Wild had with 14-7 and not landing a single goal.

– At 1:19 left Minnesota sneaks one in when Fontaine puts it past Mike Smith glove side. We end the period down 1-0.

2nd Period: Seeing as how Smith usually starts to bleed goals in the 3rd, going in to the 2nd I was a wary fan from the beginning. However, a PP had me believing that the Yotes might have what it takes here. This was certainly their strongest period of the game and Smith seemed to have something to prove after letting the first goal get by him.

– PP score ties it up 1-1 off a Mikkel Boedker backhander around the crease.

Like I said, the rest of the period gave me hope. Strong defense capped off with a great save from Smitty had me howling’. We go into the 3rd 1-1.

3rd Period: The wheels came off. There’s really no other way to put it.

– The bloodletting began early. Brodziak gets one past Smith. 2-1.

– With the Coyotes on PK and a bounce lifting Smith off net Fontaine scores to make it 3-1 with 12:04 left to play. Hope left Jobing Arena right around here.

– Smith hits the bench and Fontaine scores an empty netted goal. 4-1 with 1:12 left to play.

Afte a night of 40 SOG the Coyotes just couldn’t match up. If it makes the Yotes Faithful feel better they should know that the Minnesota Wild are no joke. They’re surging right now and look to be a contender. There’s still hope for the Coyotes, but at this point they’re on the precipice and could fall one way or the other. I hate to say it, but you have to wonder if Smith is a problem at this point. His 3rd Period performances of late have been weak.

Alright, that’s it. No more crying in my Cheerios. We have another game coming up Saturday against the Ducks. If we’re lucky we can split this 6 game homestead 3-3 and stay in the hunt. Go Yotes!