Kuemper’s shutout and Grabner’s return highlight Arizona Coyotes victory
By James Reeve
The Arizona Coyotes defeated the Calgary Flames in a game that saw Michael Grabner return to the ice for the first time in 2019.
The convincing Arizona Coyotes victory also saw Darcy Kuemper earn a shutout, keeping the team within reach of the playoff.
The Coyotes’ loss to the Anaheim Ducks earlier this week was a big setback for a team still in the playoff chase, but the rebound victory against the high-flying Calgary keeps them on track.
With a game advantage over the Minnesota Wild, the Coyotes could pull themselves back to within one point with another victory – while they have already leapt over the Colorado Avalanche in the standings.
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Kuemper once again showed the Coyotes and the rest of the NHL that he truly belongs in the league, not just as a decent backup, but a legitimate starting option.
The Saskatoon native turned away 30 shots against the Flames, improving his season stats to 2.49 goals against on average and an impressive .920 save percentage, sporting a solid 21-15-5 record.
Kuemper has been a sturdy option between the pipes for the Arizona Coyotes, with starter Antti Raanta suffering a season-ending injury before the turn of the new year.
One other player that has seen extensive time on the sidelines with injury is Michael Grabner, who made his return to game action during the 2-0 victory.
The Austrian winger had missed around four months of the season after a truly scary injury to his eye, that required a long time for his vision to return properly.
In the game, Grabner managed five shots but wasn’t rewarded with any points. It is good to see the veteran winger back in the line-up, registering 17:40 and showing some level of fearlessness in the game, throwing three hits.
With the Coyotes still firmly in the playoff hunt, having as many of their players available as possible is something head coach Rick Tocchet will be hopeful of.
With Christian Dvorak and Jason Demers both also returning recently, the Coyotes are arguably in the strongest state they have been all season.
Next. Interesting goalie prospects for the Coyotes. dark
What do you think Coyotes fans? Did you enjoy the victory over the Flames? How pleased were you with Kuemper’s performance and Grabner’s return? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!