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Arizona Coyotes Will See if “Dud” Game Against Toronto Was Isolated Incident

By Scott Thompson

WINNIPEG, MB - OCTOBER 15: Arizona Coyotes players congratulate goaltender Darcy Kuemper #35 following a 4-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell MTS Place on October 15, 2019 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB - OCTOBER 15: Arizona Coyotes players congratulate goaltender Darcy Kuemper #35 following a 4-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell MTS Place on October 15, 2019 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Arizona Coyotes pay a visit to the Staples Center on Saturday afternoon to play a hot Los Angeles Kings team that has won 5 games in a row at home.

Following the Arizona Coyotes’ loss to the Maple Leafs on a rainy and dismal Thursday night, Head Coach Rick Tocchet described the game as a “dud.” While he was referring to the Coyotes’ unanticipated, lackluster performance, he could have also said “faulty” or “inoperative,” or even “kaput” as well. Although it was not a fun experience for the Coyotes or their fans to emotionally suffer through, it is with high hopes and even greater expectations that we all now turn our focus to sunny California and to the game against the Kings on Saturday.

In taking a micro view of things, one could say that the Kings are on the upswing and the Coyotes are going in the opposite direction. A macro, “the-glass-is-half-full” view, however, will reveal that driving the long and grinding road known as the NHL season, there will be a few pot holes along the way. The Arizona Coyotes may have hit one last night, but fear not, there was no lasting structural damage to the “vehicle” or emotional damage to its occupants. Keep it moving folks – nothing to see here.

I expect quite a battle, as the Kings haven’t forgotten how the Coyotes recently embarrassed them in Glendale and plan on returning the favor in L.A. The Coyotes uncharacteristically got their butts whipped and then handed back to them by the dynamic and currently-evolving Toronto Maple Leafs. Thus, they need to replace the bitter taste of “humble pie” with the sweet taste of victory in the City of Angels.

With a team-wide refocus and re-commitment to the unselfish, aggressive, blue collar style of play the Coyotes have previously embraced, the ‘Yotes will be fine. They need to know and understand their strengths and their limitations and play their game accordingly, focused on the here and now.

At this particular time, the “here” happens to be the Staples Center, and the “now” will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday Pacific time.

The beauty of it all is that the Arizona Coyotes have proven that they can play their game and win anywhere and at any time. Let’s go Coyotes!

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