Arizona Coyotes: Playoff Position Could Slip Away From Coyotes With Loss Tonight
After losing a wild back-and-forth in overtime, the Arizona Coyotes immediately turn their attention to the Anaheim Ducks who have finally found their group and leapfrogged the Yotes in the standings.
The Arizona Coyotes have held fast in the Pacific Division playoff race for the majority of the 2015-16 season.
They’ve done it against all odds.
Tonight, however, a loss to the Anaheim Ducks would put them three points back of a team that until recently has underperformed all season. It’s a situation the Coyotes cannot afford to find themselves in.
This game is a must win.
It’s unfortunate that the Arizona Coyotes must face the Ducks in such an important matchup on the back end of a back-to-back set where they went into overtime against the Blackhawks the night before.
They will theoretically be without their best goaltending option, Louis Domingue. Domingue will almost assuredly get the night off after playing into overtime last night and allowing 15 goals in his past three outings.
Head coach Dave Tippett said he was unsure who would start against Anaheim, but it’s hard to see a case for Louis to go right back out there. He clearly needs a break.
That leaves the Coyotes with Anders Lindback in net against a resurgent Ducks team that is intent on reclaiming it’s place in the Pacific pecking order.
Someone on the Arizona club will have to step up and take over this game for the Yotes tonight. Of late there have been far too few of those outings from the Arizona Coyotes’ offensive group.
Anthony Duclair has scored five goals in three games against the Ducks this season, including a hat trick in his third game of the season. He’s also been playing with a renewed purpose.
Perhaps tonight will be the night once again for the Duke.
About Last Night
Coyotes fall to Blackhawks 5-4 in OT [Howlin’ Hockey]
Coyotes fall in overtime to Blackhawks [AZCentral – Sarah McLellan]
Arizona Coyotes rally against Chicago Blackhawks, but fall in overtime [Five For Howling – Brendan Porter]
Coyotes’ Loss to Chicago Identifies Areas Of Concern [The Hockey Writers – Mark Brown]
"After play Thursday night, the Coyotes had 54 standing points. They are four points behind San Jose and one point behind Anaheim in the division. With a win Friday against the Ducks, Arizona can leap-frog past Anaheim and into third place within the division. The question remains, can they stay there?"
Coyotes Talk
Should the Arizona Coyotes trade Mikkel Boedker? [Howlin’ Hockey]
"Keeping Mikkel Boedker on the roster to push for a playoff berth that will inevitably end in the first or second round is not a wise move. The best years for this franchise to compete are ahead of them. Maloney needs to resolve this saga by signing or trading Boedker prior to the trade deadline or face the Coyotes losing an asset in free agency for nothing."
Arizona Coyotes’ Anthony Duclair putting more pucks on net [AZCentral – Sarah McLellan]
Around The NHL
Kevin Spacey video pumps up Florida Panthers home crowd [Puck Daddy – Josh Cooper]
Does NHL treat diving more seriously than concussion protocol? [The Hockey News – Ken Campbell]
"The NHL, which fines players and coaches on a graduated scale for such infractions really seems to have a bee in its bonnet for players who repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties. Talk to any of the “hockey people” in the league’s head office and they see diving as an enormous blight on the game."
Luongo moves into seventh on NHL all-time wins list [NHL.com]
Next: Should The Coyotes Trade Mikkel Boedker?
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