Coyotes handling back-to-backs well
As the Arizona Coyotes stack some wins together the way they have of late, one of the upward trends has been their play in the second of back-to-back games.
The Coyotes, with Monday night’s 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on the road, are 4-1-1 in the second of backto-backs this season, with four consecutive wins.
They have won the second of backto-back games this season against Minnesota, Colorado, San Jose and the Kings. Three more such scheduling situations remain, including April 11 and 12 when the Coyotes will play a set of backto-back games in two different cities, at Vegas then at Colorado.
The most recent back-to-back was Sunday and Monday at Anaheim and at Los Angeles, but those cities are only separated by some freeway miles. Las Vegas and Denver on consecutive days will be a bigger challenge, and the Golden Knights and Avalanche are also much higher-caliber competition.
Forward Conor Garland said a good start to the second game of back-tobacks is key, and also helps out a goalie who is playing his second game in as many days, as was the case Monday night.
Head coach Rick Tocchet said he has to give credit to his players for being ready to play the second night. The Coyotes are 2-3-1 in the first game of back-to-back days this season.
Tocchet has had success inserting rested players or taxi squad call-ups into the lineup for second games. Monday night, Drake Caggiula and Jason Demers, both healthy scratches in recent games, got into the rotation and Demers produced an assist in 22 minutes, 26 second of ice time, the second-most on the team for the game.
“I’ve been playing four lines. You pick your spots with certain guys to get them out there,” Tocchet said. “I’ve got to make sure everybody gets on the ice, we spread the minutes.”
Tocchet has noticed his more fatigue-affected players figuring out a smarter way to play when on the ice, while still contributing to the team’s current run of six wins in seven games.
Goalie Adin Hill has started backto-back games with no full day in between twice in the past six games.
“I just try to tell myself to be patient and just focus on winning the games. It doesn’t matter if we win 5-4 or 1-0,” Hill told SiriusXM NHL radio on Tuesday. “Just trying to stay focused and focus on what I can.”