I’m not a betting person, but I’m pretty sure that the point spread for the Arizona Coyotes-New York Islanders game is dead even.
The two teams are almost identical in stats, with the Coyotes falling short of the Islanders by a single overtime point. They’ve got similar looking wins, similar looking goals against, similar looking powerplay percentage…
Oy vey.
As always, we here at Howlin’ Hockey believe that we hold all the answers. Here are three keys to success for Arizona tonight:
Nov 4, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes mascot Howler blocks the view of Toronto Maple Leafs fans during the second period at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
1. Play Coyotes Hockey.
When the Coyotes play their brand of hockey- and play it well- they’ve got a dynamic, exciting game that shows how strong the team’s endurance is. They’re effective on the forecheck, they know how to read each other (from all areas of the ice), and they’ve got a game style that combines speed and grit to wow the crowds and bring home two points.
In order to win tonight, the Coyotes will need to play like this. The Islanders have put in their weaker goaltender- Jaroslav Halak may be the team’s number one, but he’s been off to a less than stellar start this season- and they haven’t looked like a fluid group in a couple of games. If the Coyotes can play the way fans want them to, and show the kind of style fans know they have, this should be an exciting win.
Dec 12, 2013; Glendale, AZ, USA; New York Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck (15) checks Phoenix Coyotes defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson (23) in the second period at Jobing.com Arena. The Coyotes defeated the Islanders 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
2. Cal Clutterbuck
I’m going to call it ‘doing the Cal Clutterbuck’ from now on, because this guy is the master of antagonism. He draws penalties like it’s his mission in life- and it kind of is.
Clutterbuck is an effective player when you look at his stats as standalone numbers, but he’s even more effective when it comes to getting under other teams’ skins. The Coyotes aren’t exactly known for their cool temperament and disposition- in order to win tonight, they’ll need to stay off the penalty kill.
In contrast, though, the Coyotes may not have a pest- but they do have quite a few extremely effective players who love to go zipping around together. Speed and agility out of multiple players on the ice at once is a great penalty draw in it’s own respect; should the Coyotes be able to use this to their advantage, they could put themselves ahead without ever having to come from behind. The Islanders may have a stronger penalty kill than the Coyotes, but it’s nowhere near as strong as the Desert Dogs power play… should the game go to a 5 on 4 in the Coyotes’ favor, they’ll have the clear advantage.
Sep 22, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes center Henrik Samuelsson (15) celebrates with defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (23) and defenseman Brandon Gormley (33) after scoring a goal in the first period against the Los Angeles Kings at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
3. Chemistry
During the Coyotes-Ducks game, Arizona fans were reminded why Mike Smith is being paid as a number one netminder- and why it’s with Arizona.
Puck Prose
The team has remarkable ability to read one another, whether it’s anticipating passes from Smitty playing the puck or having a forward fall back to make room for Yandle or Oliver Ekman-Larsson pushing forward. This kind of play is what the Coyotes need to display against the Islanders in order to pull off a win.
It’s one thing to play your usual brand of hockey against a team that you played multiple times in the preseason, and will play multiple times throughout the regular season as well. They’ll learn to read you, and you’ve got to mix it up.
Playing games against the Eastern Conference give the Coyotes the advantage when they play with clear chemistry, because it gives them the chance to take their opponents by surprise. No one is going into the game with a couple other matchups fresh in their memory to bank off of- I’m not saying it’s going to be a total surprise, but this game is relatively new for the Islanders.
Just a word of caution- hockey is a two-way street. The Islanders have a newly rejuvinated defense, strengthened with the additions of Johnny Boychuk and Nick Leddy. The Coyotes would be foolish to underestimate this.
Howl on, ‘Yotes. This one should be in the bag.
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