The Arizona Coyotes take on the Carolina Hurricanes tonight in what should be an interesting matchup. Forecast calls for heavy shots on goal from the Canes and plenty of action for Coyotes goaltender Karel Vejmelka.
Carolina enters the game 10-5-4, in second place in the Metropolitan Division. The Coyotes are limping into town, dropping four straight and continue their brutal stretch of road games. The return of Nick Schmaltz and Jakob Chychrun has injected new energy and life into the Coyotes stale offense.
Sans Clayton Keller, the Coyotes depend on big grinders to manufacture goals the hard way; get the puck deep in the zone, and get a dirty goal. Our size gives us the advantage when it come to forechecking, but when it comes to offensive skill and speed, the Coyotes have been outmatched so far this season.
Keller has the Coyotes powerplay clicking. With a powerplay percentage of 26.7%, the Coyotes rank seventh in the NHL. The team has scored 16 of their 44 goals with the man advantage.
The team is tenth in the NHL on the penalty kill, with 80.8%.
I stand corrected from earlier this season when I questioned the hiring of assistant coach John Madden to improve special team play. This has been the strength of the team and the Coyotes are one of the best in the league on special teams. Well done John Madden.
Carolina is a tough team. They are incredibly top heavy though. Martin Necas, Sebastian Aho, and Andrei Svechnikov all are scoring at an above a point per game pace. They will be a tough trio to face. Past those three, the team is incredibly pedestrian. They are only averaging 2.84 goals per game, numbers only better than seven other teams.
They have scored 56 goals this season but have allowed 52. The Coyotes play well against top heavy teams. Take a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres. All teams with one potent scoring line, but lack depth after that.
Yes, I would argue that Toronto lacks depth. They have one elite line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, their second line with John Tavares and William Nylander are good. They are not an elite team though because of depth issues.
These matchups favor the Coyotes because we can get physical with their top skill players and shut them down. That’s what happens when your team is big and physical. Skill teams do not like playing us.
The addition of Schmaltz gives the Coyotes a real scoring threat, paired with Keller. The Coyotes top line should light up the weak goaltending of Carolina. Sorry former Coyote Antti Raanta. We are coming for you tonight.
Coyotes have Karel Vejmelka in net and Raanta was in the starters crease for the Hurricanes in their morning skate. Special teams is going to win this game tonight.
Coyotes win if…
They stay out of the penalty box. No Stupid penalties.
Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller score 2+ goals between them.
Karel Vejmelka has a game. He is capable of stealing wins from teams, tonight he needs to.
Win the grit zone. That five feet from the boards perimeter of the rink, where most of the game is played. We have to win puck battles.
Win the faceoff circle.
Hurricanes win if…
The Coyotes cannot shut down the Carolina top line.
Antti Raanta plays lights out.
Brent Burns scores two goals.
The puck drops tonight at 5pm MT and can be seen on Bally Sports Arizona or ESPN +. Let’s go get a big W tonight. Give ’em hell tonight boys!
Happy Howlin’!