Nov 27, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (23) celebrates with teammates after scoring the game winning goal in overtime to beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /
The Arizona Coyotes are pretty great offensively. Really.
They sit 7th in the NHL with an average of 2.83 goals scored per game. They get scoring from everywhere. There are six players on the roster with 10 or more goals on the season and we are only at the midway point.
Max Domi and Anthony Duclair came out of the gate like thunderbolts and managed to get to double digit goals fairly quickly.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson started slow but has been scoring steadily of late. His buddy Mikkel Boedker scores in bunches, and he also has 12 goals on the year.
The captain Shane Doan awoke from cryogenics somewhere and found his goal-scoring touch again. The old man leads the team with 15 goals scored so far.
Last but not least, Tobias Rieder just scored his 9th and 10th goals of the season on Saturday night.
That led us to trek back through the first forty-one games of the Arizona Coyotes season and find the ten best goals from the first half of the season.
Next: Number 10: Michael Stone Rifles A Rocket Past John Gibson
Michael Stone Rockets One Past John Gibson
Michael Stone had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day the last time the Coyotes had taken the ice before the game in that video. To make matters worse he was in his hometown of Winnipeg when the bad stuff happened.
Woof.
I’m guessing after stewing on things a bit, he resolved to make a serious difference in the Arizona Coyotes matchup against Anaheim. Humiliation can be a big motivator, and sometimes that determination pays off and it pays off quickly. This was one of those times.
Just 3:14 into the first period, the Yotes were maintaining possession in the offensive zone when a Kyle Chipchura shot caromed off the goalie’s pads and found it’s way to the half wall.
After a failed clearing attempt by the Ducks, Chipchura hit a wide open Stone who fired the puck through traffic and past Gibson to give the Coyotes a 1-0 lead.
It was Stone’s second goal of the season and he’s had just one more puck find the back of the net in the month and a half since.
Next: Number 9: Martinook Feeds Richardson For GWG Against Kings
Martinook Feeds Richardson For GWG Against Kings
Martyman, or “Heartinook” as I’ve seen him referred to on Twitter, came out of nowhere in training camp to make the Coyotes opening night roster and be an impactful young contributor in the lineup.
He made it happen in the 3-on-3 overtime, though. He gets the glory, but I’m not sure what was the better play.
OEL going back across Karri Ramo with his shot for the goal, or Brad Richardson’s perfect pass from Gretzky’s office to set him up. They were both sublime.
This game and the eventual game-winning goal are the perfect example of how much Ekman-Larsson means to the Coyotes, and comparatively how much winning with the Coyotes means to him.
Some nights he tries to do too much and it can end up costing the Yotes. Some nights he controls the game and comes through in the clutch in ways that few other players can match.
And he’s only getting better.
Next: Number 7: Boedker Carves Up Islanders' D On Way To 1-on-4 Goal
Boedker Carves Up Islanders’ D On Way To 1-on-4 Goal
When it comes to pure jaw dropping brilliance, there haven’t been many Arizona Coyotes’ goals scored this season that can stand up to this beauty by Boedker.
As a refresher, that night in Brooklyn was one of the worst games of the Coyotes’ season thus far.
Still, even with everything going wrong the Coyotes’ Mikkel Boedker gave the Islanders a little cringe worthy video of their own when he ate up their defense on his way to scoring on Jaroslav Halak.
Boedker took a pass in his own zone, sped through the neutral zone and then split an unaware and flat-footed trio of Frans Nielsen, Johnny Boychuk, and Calvin de Haan before beating Jaroslav Halak five hole.
It’s the kind of goal you score in NHL 16, or maybe for you older folks like me this would be the kind of goal you scored in NHL 94 when you were a kid.
For a madman like Mikkel Boedker?
It’s the kind of goal you score on a Monday.
Next: Number 6: Boedker Scores OTGWG After Ryan Getzlaf Gaffe
Mikkel Boedker Scores OTGWG After Ryan Getzlaf Gaffe
Going into this past offseason, I expected the Coyotes to improve. I never expected them to pick up a first line center as talented as Ryan Getzlaf, however.
His drop pass to Mikkel Boedker for the overtime game-winning goal against the Anaheim Ducks was truly a moment in time.
I’m not sure why Getzlaf was so dejected. His team just won…
…okay, okay, enough snark. That was probably the most embarrassing moment of Getzlaf’s career right there.
What a finish by Mikkel Boedker, by the way. He made no mistake about it as he beat Frederik Andersen stick side just beyond Andersen’s skate.
Props as well to the Ducks play-by-play duo for announcing Michael Boedker’s goal…
Mikkel Boedker is a few things. Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s best friend. Very, very fast. And excellent at scoring on the breakaway. Excellent.
This goal is the proof.
Next: Number 5: Max Domi Backhands A Beauty Past Khudobin
Domi Beats Khudobin With Backhand Filth
In this list, there a bunch of beautiful goals. Blueline howitzers and wristers. Beautiful dekes and breakaways. This goal?
This goal, like the Arizona Coyotes, stands apart. It’s very different.
Max Domi hit Mikkel Boedker while exiting the defensive zone and Boeds skated the puck all the way into the offensive end. There, he reconnected with Domi on a very innocent looking switch.
Anton Khudobin had to be thinking, “This kid has no chance at a shot from this angle, he’ll have to turn it and square up.”
Nope.
Max Domi used his momentum to propel himself near the faceoff dot and let a backhander rip. It beat Khudobin top shelf and the goalie was flabbergasted. The broadcast team was flabbergasted.
Everyone in the Honda Center was probably stunned off their feet.
I’m personally unsure if Domi even intended that puck to go in the net, or if it was just one of those lucky shots that sometimes finds it’s way home.
Either way it was awesome, and was certainly a goal to remember for the youngster.
Next: Number 4: Domi Plays Baseball, Scores Against The Wild
Max Domi Goes Yard
When Max Domi batted that puck out of the air that night in Glendale (after a helpful Jared Spurgeon knocked it in his direction), what did you expect to happen?
If you said the above (ie: the puck would go in the net), you’re either lying or joking.
Cradling that puck down and then grabbing it with the toe of the stick, pulling it back and absolutely gutting Devan Dubnyk?
As vaunted goal-scorer Alex Ovechkin would say, “Sick unbelievable!”
The skill and will of this kid continues to amaze me day in and day out. He’s the epitome of the type of player you’d want playing for your hockey team, and the hockey team he happens to play for is your hockey team!
From his work off the ice with kids suffering from diabetes, to the sheer joy he shows on the ice after every goal – regardless of whether or not it’s his own – Max Domi is the most exciting thing going right now in the desert.
Next: Number 3: Duclair Channels Peter Forsberg
Anthony Duclair Channels Peter Forsberg
Sometimes you just gotta do it yourself, ya know? Take matters into your own hands and make something happen.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-3Looking back at the Blackhawks' trades involving Andrew Ladd /
Typically, players do that kind of thing when the team is losing and the boys need a big goal to rally them.
This time? Anthony Duclair did it to pile on the Predators.
The play began when The Duke pokechecked the puck from the stick of Eric Nystrom and turned on the jets. Standing in his way was Roman Josi, handsome man and one of the best defenders in the NHL.
No problem.
Duclair sped by Josi and the Preds defender lost his skates, allowing Duclair to skate in unmolested against Carter Hutton.
From there, I’m pretty sure he used the Konami code and unlocked some secret level of puck skills, beating Hutton with a gorgeous Forsberg-esque move.
What a star in the making.
Next: Number 2: Domi's Saucer Pass Sets Up Anthony Duclair For Emphatic One-Timer
Domi’s Saucer Pass Sets Up Duclair One-Timer
This year has seen a whole lot of magic from Arizona Coyotes’ rookies Max Domi and Anthony Duclair. Unfortunately, by the time of the January 2nd game against Edmonton, it had been a few games since either of the duo had found the back of the net.
To quote a famous Miami serial killer, however, “Tonight’s the night. And it’s going to happen again and again…”
At least that’s what I picture the Killer D’s saying before they take the ice each night.
Klas Dahlbeck found Max Domi breaking out of the zone and from there, the young forward streaked down the ice and unleashed a glorious saucer pass to Anthony Duclair. The Duke made no mistake and put it top shelf past Cam Talbot to give the Arizona Coyotes a third period lead which they ultimately squandered.
That goal was Duclair’s first goal in six games and put him at 11 goals on the season.
Max Domi has connected with Anthony Duclair on seven of the forward’s twelve goals this season, and until Saturday night Domi had notched an assist on Duclair’s last four goals.
Talk about a connection.
We knew these dudes were buddies, but maybe they are more like the Sedin twins when it comes to being on same wavelength.
Next: Number 1: Shane Doan's 380th
Shane Doan’s 380th Career Goal
After scoring a hat trick in a 7-5 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan found himself tied for the franchise lead in goals-scored with former Winnipeg Jet Dale Hawerchuk.
Conveniently, the Coyotes were to play host to the new Winnipeg Jets (former Atlanta Thrashers) just two days later.
There was much hubbub going into the game about whether Doan could break the record against the team that originally drafted him and whom he played for in his rookie season. In a way, Doan was tasked with scoring a goal against a team whose name was on a record that they no longer had claim to via relocation.
Kinda weird, but also cool.
9:28 into the first period, Shane Doan received a clearing pass from his own zone near the offensive blue line that put himself and Max Domi in for a 2-on-1 against Dustin Byfuglien.
Byfuglien hit the deck trying to break up Doan’s pass, but Doan found Domi anyway for a wide open look at Connor Hellebuyck.
Domi unselfishly passed up the open look to set his captain up and Doan slammed it home to tie the game 1-1 and secure the franchise goal-scoring record.
The crowd was electric, and the embrace the fans saw between Doan and Domi and then Doan and Oliver Ekman-Larsson are some of the very moments that will keep this team’s hooks in your heart for years to come.
Next: Onto The Next (Forty)One
Dec 31, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes right wing Shane Doan (19) celebrates a goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the first period at Gila River Arena. The goal by Doan was his 380th of his career and becomes the all-time Coyotes goal-scoring leader. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
The Arizona Coyotes are stocked full of young offensive talent.
To be honest, there’s another handful of potential stars in the making who aren’t even on the NHL roster yet.
These kids won’t all pan out, but some will and in the meantime we should only see improvement from the likes of the Killer D’s. Can you imagine Domi and Duclair in the 2017-18 season? What about fellow speedster Tobias Rieder?
…the future is bright, friends. Very bright.
Hopefully you enjoyed our top 10 goals of the first half of the Coyotes 2015-16 season. If things hold to form, perhaps we’ll have some playoff clinching moments to chronicle next time.
If you have a favorite goal from this season that we missed, let us know in the comments below.
