Mar 14, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New Jersey Devils right wing Jordin Tootoo (20) skates into Arizona Coyotes goalie Mike Smith (41) in the first period at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Game Six: Arizona Coyotes at New Jersey Devils October 20, 2015
The Arizona Coyotes faced the New Jersey Devils twice last season, losing both contests. The Devils finished 7th in the Metropolitan Division, and did not qualify for the post season. They did however, do much better than the Arizona Coyotes did by accumulating 78 points to the Desert Dogs 56. Many are not predicting the Devils to even do that well this season. Many are calling them a lottery team, just like they have described the 3-2 Coyotes.
The Devils so far are playing as predicted, but the Arizona Coyotes are not. The Devils have just three points, sporting a 1-3-1 record, after defeating the New York Rangers in overtime, for their first win on 10-18-15. Former Coyotes Lee Stempniak tallied the winner, giving rookie Devils coach John Hynes his first NHL win.
The Arizona Coyotes will head out on a five game eastern swing road trip, with this game the initial test. The Coyotes won their first three games being powered mostly by new young prospects Max Domi and Anthony Duclair. Second year pro Tobias Rieder has also scored three goals, and in the first three games Mike Smith was like a super hero stopping everything in his sight. Then, the following two games he played similar to last season, with little defensive support, and with 67 shots thrown at him, he was bounced around like a pinball machine.
Hopefully, the Arizona Coyotes will regroup against a fairly weak New Jersey team to come out on top in this one. The last game showed that someone else can provide some offense when captain Shane Doan collected a goal and two assist, and Kyle Chipchura chipped in the tying goal in a losing effort against the Bruins, who peppered Smith with 43 shots.
If the Arizona Coyotes can play better defense, and get their weak power play going they have a shot in this game. They’ve also given up three short-handed goals, which is not a good statistic.
Prediction: Arizona Coyotes 4, New Jersey Devils 2
Next: Game Seven: New York Rangers
Feb 26, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers goalie Cam Talbot (33) and defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27) defend Arizona Coyotes right wing Shane Doan (19) during the third period at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers defeated the Coyotes 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Game Seven: Arizona Coyotes at New York Rangers October 22, 2015
These two teams have both started with three consecutive victories, and then have run into difficulties. The New York Rangers are now 3-3, after losing to the New Jersey Devils on 10-18-15. The Rangers must face the 4-1-0 San Jose Sharks on 10-19-15 before the Coyotes game on the 22nd. So, both of these teams have been hot and then cold, and determining who wants to win this game will be interesting.
This will be the first match-up of Keith Yandle playing against Anthony Duclair, the prospect whom the Coyotes acquired in the Rangers trade last spring. So far, it appears that the Coyotes got the better end of the deal, but Yandle only played for a partial season after the trade to the Rangers.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-4Looking back at the Blackhawks' trades involving Andrew Ladd /
The two games played between these teams last season were won by the Rangers. So the Coyotes could show them that they are not the same team as last year, and give the New York team a good game. With both teams in a slight downward spiral the game will be decided by whomever wants it more.
If the Arizona Coyotes could come out on top, it would make this team acquire that confidence it had over the first three games, when they didn’t look at all like the team who finished 29th in the NHL last year. The youth and speed of this year’s team has many fans excited for the prospects of being a much better team. It will be the first look that the eastern press will get of the newly revamped Arizona Coyotes. I’m sure they will remember it, since Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, and Tobias Rider are all playing well.
Prediction: New York Rangers 3, Arizona Coyotes 1
Next: Game Eight: Ottawa Senators
Jan 31, 2015; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators center Mika Zibanejad (93) and Arizona Coyotes defenseman Connor Murphy (5) jockey for position in the second period at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
Game Eight: Arizona Coyotes at Ottawa Senators October 24, 2015
The Ottawa Senators have started out 3-2-1 this season, and really dominated the Arizona Coyotes last season outscoring them in both games by a 12-3 margin. I think the Coyotes who were on the team last season will remember the 7-2 drubbing the Senators gave them last season. The Senators, like the Coyotes have some different faces this season. They lost: G Robin Lehner, C David Legwand, D Eric Gryba, RW Erik Condra. Their goaltending may be suspect, as sell as their defense, and the Coyotes should take advantage of that. Losing Lehner has not helped them thus far this season.
The Arizona Coyotes need to score first, and keep the lead against this team if they hope to make this long road trip a success. An interesting match-up will be the Senators Norris Trophy two time winner Erik Karlsson against the Arizona Coyotes All-Star blue-liner Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Karlsson already has eight points in six games, and OEL is struggling a bit with only one goal and one assist. It will definitely be the battle of the Swedes at this game. Nicklas Grossmann added by the Coyotes is from Sweden, as is Klas Dahlbeck.
We may see Anders Lindback, another Swede in the net if Smith needs a breather. Smith played in another universe the first three games, and has come down into the atmosphere since then with two losses. He got pulled from game four against the Wild, giving up three goals. Lindback came in to relieve him and shut down the Wild, allowing just one goal.
It will be fun to see if the Senators captain and leading defenseman can collar the speed and energy that Max Domi and Anthony Duclair throw his way.
Prediction: Ottawa Senators 5, Arizona Coyotes 2
Next: Game Nine: Toronto Maple Leafs
Jan 29, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Arizona Coyotes forward Antoine Vermette (50) tries to knock the puck away from Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Korbinian Holzer (55) during the second period at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Game Nine: Arizona Coyotes at Toronto Maple Leafs October 26, 2015
The Toronto Maple Leafs landed the big fish by hiring Mike Babcock away from the Detroit Red Wings, but even with his expert coaching skills, the Maple Leafs will not be a very good team this season. The Toronto team has a 1-3-1 record thus far this season, and is pretty much in the same boat as the Arizona Coyotes in that they are also trying to rebuild their team.
Obviously, the other HUGE move the Maple Leafs made was to trade Phil Kessel to the Pittsburgh Penguins, taking away their best offensive weapon. Their most offensive player now may be James Van Riemsdyk, who tallied 27 goals last season.
Mike Babcock may have taken this job so he can rebuild the Maple Leafs, but as is most of the time, a rebuild is painful, and not very swift. On the other hand, the Arizona Coyotes did more of a “retool” (according to GM Don Maloney) and so far the changes are positive. But, by all means swifter than the Toronto team will experience.
Most prognosticators are predicting that the Maple Leafs will be a lottery team this season, but of course the same fate has been forecast for the Arizona Coyotes as well.
With the weak defense and goaltending, the Arizona Coyotes should have no trouble defeating the Maple Leafs in this game, even if it is a road game. Look for the “Dynamic Duo” of Domi and Duclair to take advantage of the Leafs and sweep them away.
Prediction: Arizona Coyotes 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 2
Next: Game Ten Boston Bruins
Oct 17, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller (86) punches Arizona Coyotes center Joe Vitale (14) in the face during a fight in the second period at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Game Ten: Arizona Coyotes at Boston Bruins October 27, 2015
These two teams met in Glendale, Arizona on 10-17-15 when the Boston Bruins came out on top 5-3. It was a hard fought game with a very physical team. Arizona Coyotes forward, Joe Vitale got more of Kevan Miller than he signed up for, and was literally beaten to a pulp in a second period fight.
Joe, who hadn’t played in the first four games of the 2015-16 season was feeling his oats, and did help Shane Doan get his 900th point by causing havoc in the Boston crease when Doan scored. The goal was challenged by Boston Head Coach Claude Julien, only to be denied, costing his team their only timeout.
As it turned out, the Arizona Coyotes gave up way too many shots on goalie Mike Smith (sure hope this isn’t a trend) and the Bruins went 3 for 6 on the power play, and also added a shorthanded goal to really rub salt in the wound. Brad Merchand was a thorn in the Coyotes side all game, hitting any Arizona player in his general vicinity. He got into so many scuffles that it wasn’t easy to keep track of them. The Bruins definitely used their size and toughness to kick sand in the eyes of the local Arizona team.
This meeting will be on their home ice, and perhaps the Arizona Coyotes will remember how the Bruins beat them into submission, much like Vitale was beaten, and had to check in to a local hospital with an upper body injury. According to Head Coach Dave Tippett, Vitale will be out for a while. With Jordan Martinook still only a possibility to recover from his injury for this long road trip, the chance of replacement(s) from Springfield remains a distinct possibility. That means either Henrik Samuelsson, Matthias Plachta, or Lucas Lession could be called up to refortify the team. It’s also possible that by the end of this ten game road trip the team will decide what to do with John Scott. He is more than likely headed to Springfield, so a young player can come up and develop his game in Arizona.
