Coyotes drop fourth straight
Arizona ends 9-game drought on power play
The Florida Panthers scored two goals in 10 seconds of the first period, and sent the Arizona Coyotes to their fourth straight loss Friday night, 3-1 at Gila River Arena.
The Coyotes (5-19-2) put an end to a nine-game streak without a power play goal, over 18 man advantages including the first one of the game on Friday. It was Phil Kessel who made it 2-1 with 3:07 left in the first, with assists from Travis Boyd and Barrett Hayton.
Kessel has a point in four straight games, tying the longest point streak by a Coyotes player this season.
“Big boost for us. I know our power play has been struggling,” Coyotes defenseman Dysin Mayo said.
But Arizona conceded a power play goal with 24.3 seconds left in the first, and the Panthers, tied for first place in the Atlantic Division, were in control the rest of the way.
It was not the kind of start the Coyotes hoped for, especially after a heartwarming pregame ceremony for forward Loui Eriksson in commemoration of his 1,000th career game, which he played Monday at Dallas.
“They’re a tough team to play against, they’ve got a lot of skill. And they move the puck so quick it’s hard to get pressure on their (defense), they just kind of have that three high in the neutral zone and they create a lot of odd man rushes,” Coyotes forward Nick Schmaltz said. “I don’t think we generated enough from the start to about 10 minutes left in the third.”
Though no more scoring came after the first 20 minutes, the Panthers (184-4) have 98 total goals this season to the Coyotes’ 44.
“The urgency defensively was not the way we wanted in the first period,” Coyotes head coach André Tourigny said. “You play against one of the highest scoring team in the NHL, the team that generates the most offense in the NHL and the team that generates the most chances off the rush in the NHL, and we had a little bit of a lack of urgency in those situations... at the end of the day it made a difference in the game.”
Still, after a scoreless second period, the Coyotes were down only two goals. They got their fifth power play midway through the third period but couldn’t convert and went 1 for 5 on the night.
Scott Wedgewood kept the Coyotes in contention, with 20 saves on 23 shots faced. The Coyotes pulled him with a little over two minutes left in the game for an extra attacker, but couldn’t score, and have lost six of their last seven games.
‘Bear’ track
Tourigny spoke at some length about the Coyotes’ power play, which not only had opportunities but got those because of the team’s ability to draw penalties, which they had not done consistently of late.
Commissioner voices support
At the end of a week in which the Coyotes scrambled to get current on the money they owed the city of Glendale and ASM, the Gila River Arena management company, or deal with possible eviction before the end of the month, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stood by the team’s ownership in comments made Friday at the the league’s Board of Governors meeting.
“The Coyotes aren’t going anywhere. Well, they’re going somewhere else other than Glendale, but it’s in the greater Phoenix area,” Bettman said, referring to the team’s bid on land in Tempe where they want to build a new arena.
That plan is a ways from being finalized, though the Coyotes appear confident about it.
The crowd on Friday didn’t seem to behave any differently toward the team, given the latest chapter in the team’s history of events that have caused fan frustration.
Schmaltz, Beagle return
The Coyotes activated forward Nick Schmaltz and center Jay Beagle off of injured reserve prior to Friday’s game, and both were in the lineup.
Schmaltz hadn’t played since Oct. 25 due to an upper body injury that he revealed was in his hand. Beagle missed six games with a lower body injury.
“I’m really happy to have him back, and we miss him. He has a real feel for the game, and he has a sense,” Tourigny said of Schmaltz.
Tourigny turned to Beagle for faceoffs late in the game. Beagle won 14 of 17 draws for the game.
“We knew with ‘Beags’ the odds were pretty good for us,” Tourigny said. “All in all, he’s an important player for us.”
Loui the 1,000th
The Coyotes held a ceremony on the ice before the game for Eriksson, who received such gifts as a framed jersey, a silver stick and a watch from the Coyotes in celebration of his 1,000th game. Eriksson was joined on the ice by his family, and the team showed a tribute video with messages from current and former NHL players congratulating Eriksson.