Arizona Coyotes open November with 3-0 loss to Hurricanes

Movember is here, and the Coyotes were certainly hoping that a change in the calendar would bring with it improved results.

On Saturday, however, that wasn’t the case. The Coyotes lost 3-0 in the second game of their four game road trip to the winless Carolina Hurricanes.

The Coyotes were never able to get much going, especially after falling behind early on a goal by Elias Lindholm. It was the eighth time this season the Coyotes have given up the first goal of the game. Lindholm picked up a loose puck in front that neither David Schlemko or Connor Murphy were able to corral less than four minutes into the hockey game. The goal came five on five, which has been an unexpected weak point for the Coyotes this season. In their ten games this season the Coyotes have been outscored 25-12 while five on five. Last season they were exactly even in five on five play over an entire 82 game schedule.

Oct 23, 2014; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Arizona Coyotes goalie Mike Smith (41) gives up a goal to Minnesota Wild forward Jason Pominville (not pictured) during the second period at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

The Coyotes had their chances to squeak back into the game, including a pair of unsuccessful back to back power play chances midway through the first period. Unable to grab much momentum from those chances, though, the Coyotes allowed Lindhom to pick up another rebound and bury it to give the Canes a 2-0 lead with less than three to go in the first.

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The bright spot for the Coyotes was Mike Smith; without Smitty making several clutch saves on breaks by Jeff Skinner off of Coyotes turnovers (surprise,surprise), the game could have been much worse. Smith stopped 32 of the 35 shots he faced, but was outdone on the other end by Cam Ward, who earned his first shutout of the season while making some spectacular saves of his own- including robbing Boedker and Doan, among others.

The Hurricanes went on to score again in the third period to seal it on a goal by Jiri Tlusty, thanks to givaway from Mike Smith when he tried to play the puck and clear the zone. Unfortunately, the Hurricanes held the zone and were able to catch a scrambling Smitty out of his net for the goal.

The loss caused Coyotes twitter to go into a frenzy, which brings me to the tweet of the game.

The Coyotes won’t get much time to dwell on the loss, however as they return to the ice on Sunday against the Washington Capitals.