After winning three games in a row at home, the Arizona Coyotes headed out on ANOTHER five game road trip.
Nov 21, 2015; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Arizona Coyotes goalie Anders Lindback (29) prior to the game against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports
** Here are the Howlin’ Hockey Editor’s Predictions for the Arizona Coyotes games the week of 12-6-15 to 12-12-15
Game 27: Arizona Coyotes at Carolina Hurricanes – December 6, 2015
So far on the second five game road trip this young season, the Arizona Coyotes have lost all three games by the same 5-2 score. Let’s hope their fortunes change against the 9-13-4 Carolina Hurricanes. The ‘Canes are a less than impressive 3-4-2 in their last 10 games, while the Yotes are not much better at 4-6 in their last contests. In order to try and salvage a decent road trip record, this game becomes vital.
Max Domi continued his scoring prowess with two goals, and three assists in his last five games, including two tallies against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night. Domi is now tied for the NHL lead in goals for rookies this season. If the Arizona Coyotes can maintain some better puck possession in this game, they stand a better fate. Turnovers have rattled the team’s chances at victory, of late.
Head Coach Dave Tippett decided he’d seen enough of Connor Murphy’s lack of playing with purpose, and he benched Murphy in lieu of Stefan Elliott. As most any of you know who follow the Arizona Coyotes, Tippett is not shy when it comes to sending a player a message that their play needs improvement. It will be interesting to see if this is a three-game reality check for Murphy, or if Tippett plays Murphy. Murphy was involved in a key play where a Coyotes’ goal against the Red Wings was overturned, due to a coach’s challenge, when he failed to stay on-side for an apparent Klas Dahlbeck goal.
Murphy did not play against the Buffalo Sabres, and HC Tippett is apparently letting Murphy get the point that he is not intrigued by his lack of playing better. Elliott is a more seasoned young player, and a bit more offensively talented. Could this mean the Yotes will shop Murphy around, or make a deal involving him? Who knows?
Next: Arizona Coyotes at St. Louis Blues - December 8, 2015
Feb 10, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues right wing Ryan Reaves (75) skates with the puck as Arizona Coyotes center Tobias Rieder (8) defends during the first period at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Game 28: Arizona Coyotes at St. Louis Blues – December 8, 2015
AT LAST… the Arizona Coyotes L O N G road trip comes to an end! Five long games, over 4,500 miles later, the team will finish off the month of December with just one road game, while playing eight in the comforts of Gila River arena.
And, seeing as how the Blues decimated the Arizona Coyotes last season winning all three games, and outscoring the Desert Dogs 14-2, this road trip can’t end too soon. How do you spell REVENGE? They really need to show the Blues that they can play them better than the results from last season showed.
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The Blues are led by talented Vladimir Tarasenko who has 15 goals, 11 assists in 26 games. He is definitely worth the new contract ($39.5 million, five-years) he signed over the off-season, and is showing everyone he is an elite player in the NHL. Stopping him will be imperative if the Coyotes wish to come home with some points on this grueling road trip.
Alexander Steen is another Blues player who give the Coyotes the blues, if they don’t pay attention to him, as well. He has nine goals, and 13 assists in 27 games. The Blues are on a mission to prove that their first place finish in the tough Central Division with 109 points last season was not a fluke. They went down in the first round of the playoffs to an overachieving Minnesota Wild team.
Prediction: St. Louis Blues 4, Arizona Coyotes 1
Next: Minnesota Wild at Arizona Coyotes - December 11, 2015
Oct 15, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes defenseman Michael Stone (26) scores on Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk (40) during the third period at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Game 29: Minnesota Wild at Arizona Coyotes – December 11, 2015
Back on October 15, 2015 the Minnesota Wild came into Gila River arena and defeated the Arizona Coyotes by a 4-3 margin. The Coyotes buried themselves in a 0-3 hole by the 7:07 mark of the second period, and did make a valiant effort to get back into the game, but fell short. Both Max Domi, and Anthony Duclair scored, along with Michael Stone’s semi-breakaway goal at 15:12 of the final stanza. The Wild held on, and this was the first game back in Arizona since the Arizona Coyotes traded Devan Dubnyk to the Wild, in a controversial deal.
Dubnyk went on to carry the Wild on his back with an outstanding record in net, compiling a 27-9-2 record, with a stellar .936 save percentage, and a stingy 1.78 goals against average. The way the goaltending has gone since then for Mike Smith, makes many Coyotes’ fans scratching their heads in disbelief as to what is up with Smitty. Things have been up and down for Smith this season. He can play one game with the results equal to his hefty contract, and then go out there and embarrass himself, and the team, by giving up three goals on nine shots.
The sad part is, the Arizona Coyotes are married to Smith (GM Don Maloney’s words) and can’t get rid of him, unless they cut their losses as they did with the Mike Ribeiro fiasco. Those losses would be substantial. So, Smith is going to have to work his way through his difficulties, and play like the pro he is.
The Wild are a respectable 14-7-4 for 32 pints and a third place standing in the Central Division. They will be looking to take another game away from the Arizona Coyotes if they are allowed to do so. They Coyotes MUST come out ready to play, and face a good hockey team.
Prediction: Arizona Coyotes 3, Minnesota Wild 2 O/T (Tobias Rieder gets the winning goal in O/T)
Next: Carolina Hurricanes at Arizona Coyotes - December 12, 2015
Game 30: Carolina Hurricanes at Arizona Coyotes – December 12, 2015
This will be the second meeting of these two clubs in six days, with the Arizona Coyotes playing in Raleigh last Sunday. The road trip wasn’t going too well as of this writing, and the Coyotes were assured of a losing record on the trip, due to their three game losing streak at Nashville (5-2), Detroit (5-2), and Buffalo (5-2).
The primary issue has been turnovers, and mental miscues which have cost them games. To get back into playing better hockey, the Arizona Coyotes need to work on puck possession, and puck control. The offense will take care of itself.
Perhaps the grind of playing 18 road games out of 28 when this road jaunt ends may be starting to take a toll on the team’s fabric and fight to win. The schedule makers really stuck it to the Arizona Coyotes this season. That comes to 62.3 percent of their games being on the road. Most teams play better at home, but the way the schedule was done, the home games have come few and far between.
The upcoming home-stand will give the team some stability to not have to pack their bags, sleep in a hotel, and miss their families. It’s the NHL, and you do the best you can. With eight of nine games being played at Gila River arena, the team needs to establish itself, and start a winning streak. The last home-stand saw the Yotes win all three games, and that needs to happen more if they intend on competing to the level of a playoff team.
