Arizona Coyotes End Season With Another Loss 2-1 To Ducks
Ducks Clinch First Place In Western Conference, As Arizona Coyotes Look To Next Season
I thought this photo, of all the choices I had, was appropriate for the final game photo. It seemed like the Arizona Coyotes were in a fishbowl most of the season, and couldn’t find their way out. They played hard in this game, and gave the Western Conference champs a game, but in the end they lost again… words written far too many times this season about the team.
The Ducks were not to be denied, and have broken the record set by the ’06-’07 N.J. Devils for the best record in one-goal games. A phenomenal 33-1-7 record in one-goal affairs is something they can be proud of, for certain. It’s the type of “go for the juggler” approach that every winning team aspires to accomplish.
The Arizona Coyotes need to learn something from this game for next season. There were so many times where they blew the lead, and lost games due to not finishing off their opponent, that I lost track of them.
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- Ivan Prosvetov signs one-year deal with Arizona Coyotes
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Mike Smith came to play for sure. He stopped 36 of 38 shots, again getting bombarded with excessive shots on net. The law of averages catches up with you when you give up so many shots on goal. Ryan Getzlaf tallied the first Ducks goal on a typical poor defensive play by the Arizona Coyotes’ defense.
Smitty made the initial save, and Getzlaf was allowed to skate right in for the one-timer backhand shot which found the net at 5:41 of the first period. And what happened all too much this season, the opposing team scored in the latter portion (19:23) of the second period to take a 2-0. Going into the dressing room being down just one, is much easier to swallow than being down by two.
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Sam Gagner got one goal back at 13:59 of the last stanza, but it was too little too late… (perhaps the story of this pitiful season) to help the home team catch up.
Now, with this season in the rear view mirror, it’s time to reflect on what happened, and how to fix it. Nobody is more frustrated and disappointed more than Head Coach Dave Tippett.
"“I can’t see myself doing that again,” Tippett said after Saturday’s season finale. “Losing kills you enough, but when you’re not as competitive as you need to be, that’s even more frustrating.”"
"“Any time you have a season like this, everything is up for evaluation,” he said. “As an organization, we should look at everything we’re doing from management level to coaches level to trainers level to players level. You should dig in to everything and make sure that if there is anything we can do to fast track this, we should look at it.”"
The final home game means team awards were presented.
- Oliver Ekman-Larsson deservedly won the MVP Award
- Mike Smith won the Three Star Award
- Tobias Rieder won the Hardest Working Player Award (I voted for him, did you?
- Michael Stone won the Man of The Year Award for his many contributions off the ice towards charities supported by the team
In other news:
What we do have to look forward to is the NHL Entry Draft this June. On Saturday April 18 at 8pm ET the Lottery Draft will be televised on NBC.
Per NHL.com: Fourteen balls, numbered 1 to 14, are placed in a lottery machine. The machine randomly selects four balls. The resulting four-number series (without regard to selection order) is matched against a chart that shows all possible combinations and the Clubs to which each is assigned.
The chart of assigned combinations will be posted at NHL.com on Friday, April 17. The complete process, including the video of the lottery drawing, also will be available on NHL.com after the lottery is conducted.
As you can see the Arizona Coyotes can get the #1 thru the #3 draft position, depending on the draw, and are guaranteed at least the #3 pick. Who will they choose? Eichel? Hanafin? Marner? I know I’ll be on the edge of my seat!
On a personal note:
I took over as editor of this site last month, and want to personally thank all my readers. We are going to follow the news of the Arizona Coyotes through the off season to include the NHL Entry Draft and free agent signings, rumors, etc. And, even though the Coyotes did not qualify for the playoffs, we will keep information flowing to you about who will raise the Cup. Stay connected to howlinhockey.com and tell your friends!
William Grigsby
Editor
Next: Arizona Coyotes Lineup Changes — Salaries For Next Season
More from Howlin' Hockey
- How the Arizona Coyotes could line-up with Logan Cooley signed
- Report: Logan Cooley could be closer to signing Arizona Coyotes ELC
- Arizona Coyotes sign Matias Maccelli to three-year deal
- Ivan Prosvetov signs one-year deal with Arizona Coyotes
- Arizona Coyotes cut Galchenyuk after reported police incident