Arizona Coyotes must prove they belong where they are

The Arizona Coyotes woke up this morning sitting one point inside the playoff spots, thanks to a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues.

Goals from Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Richard Panik and Vinnie Hinostroza, along with a 39-save performance from Darcy Kuemper, has seen the Arizona Coyotes jump into the playoff places.

Before the 2018/19 season began, the Coyotes were viewed as potential playoff dark horses – thanks to a strong showing towards the end of the previous campaign.

A fit and healthy roster that looked to have been building chemistry was all the team needed in order to progress towards a surprise playoff berth.

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However, injuries decimated Rick Tocchet‘s team, leaving him with the job of dealing with what were largely AHL-experienced players along with some extra pick-ups along the way.

So it has surprised many in the hockey world to see the team leapfrogging the Minnesota Wild to claim possession of the final wild-card spot – with only 12 more games to play.

The rise into the playoffs has come from a stellar recent record, with the Arizona Coyotes a sensational 8-2-0 in their last ten games, earning 12 victories out of their last 16 games (12-4-0), with that particular stretch seeing them keep some very selective company.

That strong showing proves the Arizona Coyotes deserve to be in the playoff conversation, now the team must maintain this and prove they are most deserving of reaching the post-season.

The Coyotes have already overcome so much adversity this season, with Antti Raanta, Nick Schmaltz and Derek Stepan all still sidelined with various injuries.

The team has had over 300 man-games lost due to injury, well ahead of any other team in the NHL, and yet they are still battling their way towards the playoffs.

The team has adopted the mantra Scratchin’ and Clawin’ this season, showing that the team is determined to fight it out and claw their way up the standings, playing a particularly rugged style of game.

Tocchet fully deserves Jack Adams consideration for the work he has done, turning the Coyotes into a legitimate playoff team after they finish dead-last in the Western Conference last season, especially with all of the injuries the team has suffered through.

If the Coyotes can have a streak of performances as strong as they have recently, then they should find themselves holding onto their playoff spot quite comfortably.

But the team needs to put in the hard work and continue to pick up victories against tough opposition, with the true test of the team’s character coming in this final 12-game stretch.

What do you think Coyotes fans? Can the team keep up the good vibes and make the post-season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!