The Arizona Coyotes won an overtime thriller against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night thanks in large part to a heroic effort by rookie forward Max Domi.
Arizona Coyotes forward Max Domi went through a long dry spell spanning the holidays.
A solid month with no goals after two months filled with plenty. The weight was great, I’m sure, and I wouldn’t doubt he had a vise-like grip on his stick heading into last night’s tilt with Edmonton.
December 4th against Buffalo, Max Domi scored two goals in a losing effort. Since then, the rookie had just five assists in fifteen games. He couldn’t find the back of the net.
Then he scored. And it happened again. And again. At one point, the score last night was Max Domi 3 – Edmonton 3. From there, it was a mere formality in regards to who Anthony Duclair would pass the belt on to.
"Who do you think the belt went to? https://t.co/xWZgFHAATx— Yotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) January 13, 2016"
I’m pretty sure I heard someone yell “Killer D’s!” in the background.
The first two months of Max Domi’s career were exceptional for a twenty year old. His efforts found him in the thick of the Calder Trophy conversation with 24 year old Blackhawks rookie Artemi Panarin.
The difference between the two young stars? I just told you. Panarin is twenty four and playing on the opposite wing of Patrick Kane getting plum chances. Domi is twenty and doing this playing with Antoine Vermette as his center.
The Bread Man is amazing in his own right, but it’s hard to argue that his situation isn’t far superior to Domi’s own. Despite that, Domi finds himself only eight point backs from Panarin.
It was fitting that Domi’s final goal of the trio was a beautiful snipe from the top of the circle. A shot not unlike the one he ripped a while back in his first trip to the Air Canada Centre as a pro.
During his drought, the Arizona Coyotes still saw Domi make things happen on the ice. Every single night he is good for one or two “wow!” plays that hint at even greater things to come in time.
With Domi and Duclair on the rise and future number one center hopeful Dylan Strome waiting in the wings, the Arizona Coyotes are probably feeling a bit like the cat who caught the canary.
I can see where they are coming from.