Run vs. Pacific Division has had ups, downs
A roughly two-week trek through the Pacific Division has spruced up the Coyotes’ record with the competition against their rivals sparking the most productive segment of their season.
But the head-to-head battles haven't changed their spot in the hierarchy as the team remains last in the division and Western Conference – a juxtaposition that suggests improvement is being made but not enough for sustainable success.
“Making some progress in the points department,” coach Dave Tippett said. “But we can still make a lot more progress in our play.”
The Coyotes conclude their run of eight straight against the Pacific Division Thursday when they host the Kings after going 3-1-3 in the first seven games to pocket nine out of a possible 14 points.
During this stretch, the team has been boosted by a few key players returning from injury, as it tries to catch up to the six teams in the division they’re chasing.
“We’re playing against good hockey teams. You gotta give other teams credit, too,” goalie Mike Smith said. “But we’re a young team that has quite a few new guys, and it’s only (21) games into the season. … There’s still a lot of fresh faces here and new guys trying to learn systems. But at some point, you gotta push forward and start improving and start getting better in those areas.”
This division-only section of the schedule started with Smith and center Martin Hanzal rejoining the lineup after bouts with injury – Smith an MCL sprain in his left knee and Hanzal a lower-body ailment – and the upside of having a No. 1 goalie and center on the ice were immediately clear.
Smith was solid in his debut Nov. 16 against the Flames, helping the Coyotes secure a point in a 2-1 overtime loss before keying a 3-2 overtime win Nov. 19 against the Sharks amid a season-high 43 saves. He suffered a setback the next game against the Canucks when he gave up four goals on 17 shots, but has rebounded so impressively that the outing looks like an anomaly.
In the six games he’s played since his return, Smith is 3-1-2 with a .936 save percentage and 2.33 goals-against average. He’s made at least 40 saves in each of his past two starts.
“The biggest factor is goaltending,” Tippett said. “It’s been excellent. … Your goals-against comes down, it gives you a chance to get points.”
Hanzal assisted in his second game back Nov. 17 in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Canucks and scored that overtime gamewinner against the Sharks Nov. 19. He was whistled for a high-stick with one second left in the third period Tuesday in San Jose, giving the Sharks a power play they capitalized on in overtime to pull out a 2-1 decision, but Tippett felt a hand pass should have been called before the infraction.
Adding an experienced center has been particularly important amid the loss of Brad Richardson, who is out indefinitely after fracturing tibia and fibula bones in his right leg Nov. 17 vs. the Canucks. The Coyotes have not determined a timeline for Richardson’s recovery.
Goalie Louis Domingue has also been sidelined, suffering a lower-body injury last week, but Tippett is hoping Domingue will be able to back up against the Kings.
“We’ll see in practice (Thursday) if he feels like he’s ready to go,” Tippett said.
And defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson left Tuesday’s action with an upperbody injury. He was spotted after the game outside the team’s dressing room with his left hand wrapped. Tippett said Ekman-Larsson is a possibility against the Kings and is considered day-to-day.
General Manager John Chayka said Wednesday morning on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM that Ekman-Larsson “had a little bruise,” and he hopes Ekman-Larsson will be in the lineup Thursday – which is yet another opportunity for the Coyotes to find a rhythm to help them climb back up the standings.
Goaltending kept them afloat the first three games of this division series. A spirited rally led to a 3-2 shootout win against the Oilers last Friday, and a tightchecking game plan to limit the Oilers' ability to transition with numbers in the encore Sunday was enough to score a second straight victory.
But the execution wasn’t as on-point Tuesday with the Sharks racking up 42 shots amid a season-low 19 for the Coyotes. Not all of those attempts by San Jose were dangerous as some teams choose to send long-range shots on Smith instead of going for a dump-in because of Smith’s proficiency at handling the puck.
Even so, the Coyotes’ puck work in front of the crease wasn’t up to snuff – a deficiency that’s been accentuated recently despite a growing point total.