Arizona Coyotes Living California Dream This Season
In three games thus far this new season, the Arizona Coyotes are living the California dream by winning all three contests, all in the Golden State.
If you are a true Arizona Coyotes fan, (and not a bandwagon variety who follows some other team where you lived formerly… you know who you are) then you had to enjoy the three victories the Desert Dogs accumulated so far this season. The win last night was especially satisfying on several fronts:
- Beating the Anaheim Ducks twice so far is satisfying because they have had the Coyotes’ number for a while. THAT WAS BEFORE THE DOMI/DUCLAIR ERA.
- Coming back from a two goal deficit showed the character and fiber of this team. And, other teams will take notice that Domi and Duclair are for real.
- Seeing Anders Lindback perform so admirably was exceptional in every way. It gives the team confidence, especially after Mike Smith seems to be falling into that pit of mediocrity again.
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The key factor in this victory, as others this season, was SPEED.
Duclair breaking in and around the back of the net, having defenders following him, leaving Domi open at the side of the net for a scoring threat — was a perfect example of that trait. Mikkel Boedker’s showing of tenacity to get the puck out of the corner and pass it to newly recalled center Dustin Jeffrey, who got it to Domi, who did the rest. Jeffrey played very well in his first game with the Arizona Coyotes. Let’s see if he sticks around a bit, at least until Antoine Vermette can come back from his injury.
Getting four points out of a possible four points against the tough, Western Conference champ is quite the accomplishment. If they can follow that up with another win tonight against the arch-rival L.A. Kings they may bring their surfboards to Cali next time for some surf and sand fun.
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Enough can’t be said about the impact that Max Domi and Anthony Duclair are having on this Arizona Coyotes team. It’s completely evident when you see the success that they are both having against both the Cali teams thus far in the 2015-16 campaign. Domi has four goals, two assists. Duclair has four goals, one assist. Do you think the Kings are trying to figure out how they are going to stop the “Killer D’s”? You can count on it. (and good luck with that…)
The big question will again be which Mike Smith will show up? He’s having difficulties again this year, and this team can win hockey games with good goaltending, as evidenced by Anders Lindback’s performance grabbing 33 saves in the win over the beleaguered Ducks. Head Coach Dave Tippett did not rule out that he may play Lindback again against the Kings.
Maybe Smith could take in some video on some of Lindbacks’s big saves where he comes out of the crease to challenge the shooter by breaking down the angle. The more you watch Smith, the more it’s noticeable that he is not doing that. If he is relying on his reflexes by staying put in his crease, then he better check his birth certificate and realize that those cat-like reflexes tend to slow down with age.
All in all, the Arizona Coyotes seem to love playing in California, especially Domi and Duclair. Mikkel Boedker seems to be settling down playing the point on the power play, and was all over the ice in the victory over the Ducks. Don’t forget he’s motivated to try and work out an extension on his one-year contract. His overtime winning goal was a thing of beauty as he took Getzlaf’s gaff of a pass and raced down the ice for a breakaway game winner.
Another player of notice was Stefan Elliott. He was solid, and defended well. Although Grossmann was not playing, and was missed the rest of the defensive crew was exceptional. Michael Stone poke-checked the puck off of a streaking Ducks player headed for the net.
Next: Arizona Coyotes First Month Report Card