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Joe’s Three Keys: Coyotes vs. Oilers, Round II

By Joe Duquette

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The Arizona Coyotes are playing some familiar faces…

It’s time for round two; the Arizona Coyotes are now the guests as they line up across the ice from the Edmonton Oilers.

This is the team they took home their first victory from, but both teams are now older, wiser, and more developed (well, kinda). The Coyotes will need to do a couple things to make sure everything gets taken care of and this road trips ends with more happy stories than not.

Nov 11, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes left wing Mikkel Boedker (89) scores a goal in the third period against the Dallas Stars at Gila River Arena. The Stars defeated the Coyotes 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

1. SHOTS! SHOTS! SHOTS!….EVERYBODY!

It’s no secret this Oilers teams has been struggling defensively. The Coyotes need to capitalize on this across all four lines, and get tons of shots on net tonight. Ben Scrivens is an average goalie at best in this league, and will be susceptible to letting in one or two soft goals. Let’s be the team that gets those goals early in the game — pull ahead in the first, so we don’t have to stress out come the third.

Oct 24, 2014; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers Left Wing Taylor Hall (4) warms up against the Carolina Hurricanes in the pre game warm ups at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Chris LaFrance-USA TODAY Sports

2. SHUT DOWN TAYLOR HALL

Bad news for the ‘Yotes tonight; Taylor Hall will be returning from IR. Remember this guy? Yeah. Him.

The Coyotes can not afford to let this former first overall pick get going. He is a talented winger with a nose for the net, and he’s been a sitting duck in the last six contests played by his team. He’ll be hungry to show what he can do, and he’ll be hungry to do it against a divisional rival that could fall to last place with a regulation victory. The Coyotes defense would do well to get bodies on Hall from the start of the game, and make that a priority throughout at least the first two periods — Hall’s just getting back, so shutting him down early could prevent him from scoring at all.

Oct 11, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes goalie Devan Dubnyk (40) covers the puck during the first period against the Los Angeles Kings at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

3. LET DUBNYK GET COMFORTABLE EARLY

As professional athletes, hockey players are used to getting amped for games night in and night out.

However, it’s always a little easier against your former team. There’s no question Devin Dubnyk would love to get a big ‘W’ against his former club, particularly since he’s expressed regret that he never really met his potential while skating for them. If the Coyotes can let him make a few easy saves early in the first, they’ll be well on their way to helping Dubnyk achieve that goal. A confident Dubnyk is a force to be reckoned with so far this season.

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