Coyote Tracks - Wednesday March 24 Edition

Ok, I'm not gonna lie...I'm feeling sick, yesterday was Travis' birthday and the Coyotes lost 2-0 in a game that really was not that much fun to watch in its suckiness.  Of course, these folks, will see it very differently, but let's not worry about them.

The Coyotes just never were able to get this one going.  After Shane Doan looked like he made it 1-0 on a really nice deke and move around the net, the referees quickly jumped in and waived off the goal claiming that Taylor Pyatt has caused incidental goalie interference.  Really, it looked a lot more like the Blackhawks defensemen just took Antti Niemi out of the play and Pyatt just happened to be in the area, but that's the way the refs saw it, so that's how it stood.  After a scoreless first period, the Hawks came out with all the life in the second and after a really nice topshelf goal by $0.20 (aka Patrick Kane), they never looked back.  Marian Hossa added a goal that Ilya Bryzgalov probably would've liked to have back, but it was a nice feed by Patrick Sharp and Bryzzie can't save everything.

The Coyotes certainly generated chances in the third with some solid power play efforts, but just couldn't get one past Niemi...and the refs got progressively worse as the night wore on...penalties against both teams were iffy and there was a bizarre icing call that was just completely and utterly botched.  Not a good night for the zebras.

On the bright side, this was a heckuva lot better than last year's showing against Chicago when the Coyotes got swept badly in the four game series.  In the end, going 3-1 against one of the best teams in the league is nothing to sneeze at (and I will affirmatively state that it is even more evidence that the Coyotes are one of the elite teams this year).

As for your recaps, that might be as good as it gets on this site...I know Travis wanted no part of a full write-up.  Second City Hockey will have their take up at some point as well. [AP via ESPN] [AZCentral's Gintonio]

LAST NIGHT'S NHL SCORES:  PHX 0 - CHI 2; PHL 0 - OTT 2 (never a good day when the 2 teams you cheer for lose by identical scores...incidentally the Flyers looked like they were also robbed of a goal on a weird play...whatever); CLS 3 - NJ 6; FLA 4 - TOR 1; BOS 4 - ATL 0; CAR 2 - TB 3 (OT); DAL 3 - NSH 1; SJ 4 - MIN 1; ANA 1 - CGY 3; VAN 2 - EDM 3

After the jump, not too much really...Tippett will and should win the Jack Adams, Shane Doan should not be taking faceoffs, and maybe some whimsy...maybe...

Yeah, I lied...there's your whimsy.  Sarah McLellan, writer for AZCentral, has started a YouTube channel with some great Coyotes videos...this one is a good starter, but you should check them all out...good stuff.

Epoch Times - Phoenix Coyotes Defying All the Odds
With most hockey talk focusing on blows to the head lately, the Phoenix Coyotes have been one of the NHL’s best-kept secrets.

KuklasKorner : The Puck Stops Here : Coach Of The Year
As I said, the Tippett should be engraved now to save the hassle of getting it done at the last minute.

Stempniak loving life with Coyotes | Mike Zeisberger | Columnists | Sports | London Free Press
And we are loving life with Lee Stempniak...Desert Ninja FTW!!!

Best and Worst Faceoff Takers since 1997 - Behind The Net
Those top two names on the best list are Coyote alums...but Shane Doan makes a surprise appearance towards the very bottom...good thing he mostly plays the wing.  Don't tell YotesGurl that there is something Jesus Doan does not do well...last night was rough enough...

Henrik Zetterberg dominates at both ends of ice, leads Red Wings past Penguins, 3-1 | - MLive.com
Continuing from the story I posted yesterday with Sidney Crosby getting some cheap shots at Zetterberg at the end of the game...I'm not sure that any of them were as cheap as this though...

Patrice Bergeron visits Matt Brown in Atlanta hospital
Not whimsy...you got that above, but a nice story (albeit pretty short) showing what we all knew - professional hockey players as a group are just classy, classy guys.

Let's just get over last night quickly, enjoy the off day and get back at it in Nashville Thursday night, ok?  Got links, post 'em in the comments...