The Arizona Coyotes’ Offense Has Left the Building
The Arizona Coyotes’ goal scorers were MIA last night and their fellow wild card-chasing opponents took full advantage of it.
My how a single regulation loss at home for the Arizona Coyotes can change things in a hurry in the NHL’s Western Conference standings. With the Arizona Coyotes’ defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers at GRA Tuesday night, they fell to 4th place in the wild card hunt behind the Calgary Flames (72 points and 2 games in hand), the Nashville Predators (70 points and 4 games in hand), and the Winnipeg Jets (70 points and one game in hand).
By the time the ‘Yotes conclude play against the Buffalo Sabres late on Saturday night, the Flames will have played at Nashville and at Tampa Bay, while the Predators will have hosted the Flames and the Colorado Avalanche. The Jets will have hosted the Washington Capitals and visited the Edmonton Oilers.
Things will only get more dire for the Coyotes if they fail to score goals like they did against the tired Panthers, who were concluding a 5-game road trip.
The Coyotes scored their lone goal while defending an early power play opportunity by the Panthers. Brad Richardson had two wacks at the puck right in front of the goal and was able to give the ‘Yotes the lead – temporarily. The hometown boys couldn’t light the lamp again and succumbed to the methodical and equally opportunistic Panthers.
More from Howlin' Hockey
- How the Arizona Coyotes could line-up with Logan Cooley signed
- Report: Logan Cooley could be closer to signing Arizona Coyotes ELC
- Arizona Coyotes sign Matias Maccelli to three-year deal
- Ivan Prosvetov signs one-year deal with Arizona Coyotes
- Arizona Coyotes cut Galchenyuk after reported police incident
After the ‘Yotes play the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, February 29, they will travel in early March to Vancouver, Calgary, and Winnipeg before returning home on March 12 to play the Canucks again. If the results of those games are not favorable for the Coyotes, their season is pretty much over.
Perhaps the most worrisome team of those on the Coyotes’ heels are the Nashville Predators. They have momentum and are trending upward at the right time. Most significant is that they have 4 games in hand over the ‘Yotes, and they play them on March 28 at GRA. It’s certainly possible that the Coyotes could only be playing for pride by then, but let’s hope that’s not the case.
After just one post-deadline game, the belief that the Coyotes could reach the playoffs with who “brung ’em to the dance” is suspect at best. They’ve never been a scoring machine, as they haven’t had players as dynamic as Taylor Hall and Conor Garland in quite a while. Regardless, now is the time for everyone to commit to scoring goals.
The final 16 games of the season are critically important and the Coyotes will need to win most of them to remain relevant. It’s a tall order indeed, and it probably won’t be long before the Coyotes’ fate is sealed one way or the other. Let’s go Coyotes!