Weary Coyotes seeking boost for race to playoffs
Connor McDavid, perhaps hockey’s most talented player, said it “felt as if there were seven guys out there” after the Coyotes shut out the Edmonton Oilers’ high-flying offense in a 3-0 win on Feb. 4 at Gila River Arena.
Juxtapose that high praise with comments made after the Coyotes allowed 46 shots and managed a season-low 14 of their own in a 1-0 road loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. Speaking to reporters after the game, Blues goaltender Jordan Binnginton said he “didn’t even realize it was a real game” and that he was “just kind of chillin’ back there” in his crease.
The extreme differences in these post-game reactions — less than three weeks apart — help illustrate the kind of season the Coyotes are having. It has been one plagued by inconsistencies, key injuries, a lack of execution, and extremely unfriendly scheduling that has the Coyotes returning home from playing in Eastern or Central time zones with only one day of rest six times this season, most in the NHL.
And now, after getting swept on a two-game road trip through Dallas and St. Louis, the Coyotes find themselves on the outside of the Western Conference playoff picture with six weeks and 18 games remaining in the season.
“We have individuals who could play better,” Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet said on Friday. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say that the scheduling has hurt our team. We’re lacking some energy. Eleven games in 19 days, and even before that … These are tough miles. We had a hard-fought game in Dallas. Washington, we had to fly back from that Canada trip and we played them and the Islanders well.
“But we’ve hit a wall. It is what it is. I mean, it’s not an excuse; it’s just reality. Could some guys have given more and played better? Of course. But (the schedule) is definitely a factor.”
To make matters worse, the Coyotes have played more games than any team in the league. Teams vying with the Coyotes in the chase for a playoff spot have anywhere from one to five games in hand, meaning those teams have more opportunities left to gain points in the standings.
It wasn’t long ago, however, when the Coyotes occupied first place in the Pacific Division, doing so as recently as Jan. 15. Since that date, the Coyotes are 4-8-3 and their 11 points over that stretch are better than just three other NHL teams. Since Darcy Kuemper’s injury on Dec. 19, the Coyotes are just 1014-4.
Even the Coyotes’ once-impressive road success has burnt out. After starting the season with a 14-6-3 record away from Glendale, the Coyotes are just 1-9-1 in their past 11 road games.
The Coyotes (30-26-8) look to snap a two-game losing skid when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning (40-16-5) on Saturday at Gila River Arena . ... The Coyotes have won three of their last four games at home and are 7-1-3 in their past 11 games in Glendale. ... This is the second of two meetings between the teams this season, with the Coyotes suffering a 4-0 loss in Tampa Bay Jan. 9 . ... The Coyotes are 10-12 vs. the Lightning all-time at home.
It’s been a slow, steady fall in the standings for the Coyotes, who return home to face the playoff-bound Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. After that, the Coyotes receive some much-needed practice time before games against the Florida Panthers and Buffalo Sabres in Glendale to close out February.
“Number one for me is I’ve got to regain their energy,” Tocchet said of his approach during this homestand. “It’ll be real positive and trying to inspire some people, trying to inspire the team and hopefully you get some help from leadership. … Practice is a big part of our team and we haven’t had many this month. We’re a team that has to work on certain things, and offensively we’re having a tough time scoring goals.”
There is much on the line for the Coyotes in the coming weeks. Will a team that added Phil Kessel and Taylor Hall miss the playoffs after leading the division in January? If so, what does that mean for Hall’s prospects of signing long-term in Arizona?
John Chayka, Coyotes president of hockey operations and general manager, isn’t a big fan of the NHL trade deadline, which is Monday at 1 p.m. Still, will he do something to address the shortcomings of an offense that ranks 26th out of 31 teams in goals per game?