RECAP: Coyotes Get Blown Up By Jets

Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports

This is never easy. Writing about a team you love who just can’t seem to get it together is rough. You may have thought I was going to say “being a Coyotes fan in general.”, but I’m going wider here folks! I’m talking about the recent losing streak ALL Arizona sports have been facing. I’m talking about the The Phoenix Suns, The Arizona Diamondbacks and yes, of course, our beloved Phoenix Coyotes.

Playing from behind has never suited Arizona. If we have to make up a deficit we too often fall short of the goal. Whether it’s hoops, for the past two games the Suns made it interesting in the final minutes of games they trailed only to lose by two points, or it’s hockey. Yes, the past two games the Yotes jumped ahead early but they’ve also eased up on the pressure once they broke net first. What’s got to change? What’s got to move things, at least, in the right direction?

Simple. Look at the recent success of The Arizona Cardinals. It’s not a fast scoring run ‘n gun offense. It’s a stout, fundamentally sound defense. And for both the Phoenix Suns and the Coyotes, that could very well be the answer. But we’ll get to that later. For now, we must wallow in the shallow waters of defeat for this weeks scoring RECAP!

1st Period: Like I said, we came into Winnipeg expecting to score first and we did. Then, it seemed, we took a struggling team for granted and they simply whooped us.

– Ekman-Larsson slaps one in like the Olympian he is giving the Yotes a 1-0 lead. This was the only goal scored for Phoenix in a night that saw over fifty (yes, 5-0) SOG.

– Then someone just forgot about the puck in the middle of the ice and the Jets Jokinen put it in like it was a second thought. 1-1 Tied.

– In the final minutes of the 1st the surging O’Dell for Winnipeg makes it 2-1 Jets with a close shot on Smith.

2nd Period: Second verse. Same as the first. Minus the Coyotes scoring again of course.

– After starting the period with a quick fight, playing sound defense for most of the period, Smith gives up an errant pass and the Jets Wheeler puts in a rebound after a Shot on Goal. 3-1 Jets.

3rd Period: Nothing to see hear folks. Move along, move along…

– Early in the 3rd the Coyotes go down 4-1 as WPG’s Frolik (really? That’s a hockey player’s name?) puts one past Smith’s shoulder.

– 5-1. Which in hockey is a blow out. Which means the Coyotes got blown out. By Winnipeg. Yes, I’m serious. Setogouchi puts it in off a pass from Byfuglien.

And that’s where it ended. Maybe scoring first means less than keeping the other team from scoring at all. Just saying. Who knows? At this point, anything is worth a try. Let me know what you think below and until next time, stay ornery Arizona.