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Well this is it. The whole season down to one game. It's us or the Red Wings. It's Good or Evil. It's the good story vs. the same tired one. Basically if you're not rooting for the Coyotes at this point what the heck are you doing? (Other than probably wearing a Wings jersey...) This is going to be huge. Game Sevens always are, but this game in particular should be hard fought and exciting. The majority of the games so far have been. The crowd should be a lot like game 1, just cheering their lungs out. I'm excited, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous too. 

On the Coyotes end they just have to replicate the effort they put in in Detroit. Ilya Bryzgalov was outstanding in goal.Taylor Pyatt stole the game that Holstrom plays, parking himself in front of the net. Even Robert Lang played well. His nifty overthought passes were actually working. I'm not saying all those things will go right again, but The power play suddenly worked again and we even got a shorthanded goal. We do however need to stay out of the penalty box. I'm not counting on killing off 3 penalties in the first 6 minutes again. Not a game we want to get into. 

Detroit is going to come out trying to show that Game 6 was a fluke. Jimmy Howard looked mediocre on most of the scoring, while others were just the fault of the defense allowing great chances in front of him. The Wings were still pressing on offense, but just couldn't make anything happen. They ended up with two goals, but with how much they possessed the puck early it could have been worse. Justin Abdelkader tried playing the pest role and got beat down by Derek Morris and then had a wrestling match with Keith Yandle.

Some writers are saying that the Wings have more to play for as they have higher expectations put on them and the Coyotes are just a feel good story. That's bull. What would motivate you more? People telling you you should be in the second round? Or people telling you you don't belong there. I'd go with the latter in that case. 

Starting Goalies

Played amazing on Sunday. We need a repeat performance out of him to keep this going. He doesn't have to be the most outstanding guy on the ice, but I'd all accept that. 

Yeah... "the Coyotes got Lucky" on Sunday five times against the rookie netminder. I say we need to demonstrate how much luck was really involved there. The guys in the room likely don't give a crap, but the fans do. Either way the road to the Second round goes through his five-hole.

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Gregory Shamus - Getty Images

Black Hole of puck possession,right, will hopefully not be in the lineup tonight.

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So after taking a couple days off these two teams go back at it again tonight at Jobing.com arena. The Red Wings managed to win what was a tight game for 55 minutes or more 3-0 in Detroit to keep the series even. Jimmy Howard Spun on his Melon (See Also: Stood on head) to steal the game. That being said the Coyotes also made it fairly easy for him taking low quality shots even though they spent a ton of time trying to set them up. There were a few really nice stops, but in general just nothing good enough to challenge him all night.

At the other end Ilya Bryzgalov will have to forget what his defense did to him in the final minutes of game 4. While the team did need to push offensively to tie up the game, that doesn't do a whole lot of good when your guys hang you out to dry. The D just got lazy getting back and helped the Wings burn the goalie. Not okay any time, but especially not in the playoffs. 

Still no official word on Shane Doan's status tonight. It'd be big if he can play and be effective, but he also shouldn't play just to play. If there's anything worse than not playing Doan it's playing a Doan that can't hit anyone because it's harder on him than the target. He's still a "gametime decision". One thing that we do know is that Tippett does plan on starting with 7 defensemen tonight. Mathieu Schneider will be in so that we can hopefully get the Power Play running at least somewhat effectively. 

Starting Goalies

Was solid until the D left him late in the game. He still insists that the first goal was tipped with a high stick. I'm not too worried about his performance. 

I fail to understand what the deal is with our team not doing the right things against Howard. In games 1 and three, heck, even the game 3 loss where we had 4 goals, it was pretty clear how to beat him. 2 things: Go high-mid stick side or low off the pads and bang away for the rebounds. That is how you win games.

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Well it's official. No Shane Doan today for the Coyotes. After his spill into the boards following a trip over Jimmy Howard he'll get this game off at least. Vernon Fiddler will play in his place as he's finally healed up after the hard fall he took in game 2. 

The Coyotes will have to come out early and set the tone just like they did in game 3. Sure, they don't need to score just seconds into the game (Though I'm not ruling it out), but with or without Captain Coyote in the lineup they have to go out and assert themselves. The new forward line of Wolski-LombardiStempniak should be a good one if they can break free of the Detroit defense. The Czech line, okay Petr Prucha, really asserted themselves on Sunday as well and we'll look for a resurgence there. 

The biggest help to the Coyotes though has been the Red Wings. Between defensive miscues, bad line changes, and other tough breaks the Red Wings just didn't look like the Red Wings in game 3. Nicklas Lidstrom had an especially rough night being on the ice for 3 of the 4 goals against. 

Starting Goalies

People were waiting for this version of Bryzgalov to show up. He had a couple goals against him, but none of the "That was a terrible goal he let in" variety. He got top shelfed for one and got a fluke pinball go up his leg and bounced through the pads. He's zeroed in. 

Howard on the other hand got beat by some very nice plays. Though with the exception of the 4th goal they were more defensive lapses than him being totally outplayed. That pretty Prucha goal was more beating everyone than Howard being the weak link. He's still playing well and the Coyotes will have to keep the pace up to beat him. 

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Christian Petersen - Getty Images

Stop trying to take my wallet! I'm in the middle of a game here!

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The Coyotes roll into Detroit tonight in Game 3 of their Western Conference Quarterfinal series against the Red Wings today on National TV. After last game's unsuccessful run and gun performance the focus is certainly going to be on playing the same hard hitting defensive game the Coyotes tried to play in the first game of this series. The only upside to last game was really the fact that we did see that the Coyotes can put goals on the scoreboard, they just can't be doing it in a game that's a totally different tempo than what they usually play. People are trying to make something of the Joe Louis Arena being some place the Coyotes won't be able to play effectively. They did it once already this year, there's no reason to think that the Coyotes wouldn't be able to take a game again. 

It was a group effort in the loss on Friday and it'll need to be a group effort to get the win today. That's nothing new for this team though as one of the common themes throughout the year has been that of a pack mentality where everyone does everything together. That and bouncing back after tough losses. This is a team that doesn't ride anything too high or to low just like their coach Dave Tippett. After the game one win he said that there were things to work on. After the game two loss he said there were lots of things to work on. This is a group that doesn't stop working. Even when everything goes right there's something they work on. They reset everything after each game and take them one at a time. Now I just have to take a cue from them and focus on one at a time without worrying about the rest of the series. 

As for the Red Wings, they broke out of the defensive traps that Phoenix had setup and forced more than a few errors. They'll look for repeat performances from the big guns, though I'd doubt that Zetterberg or anyone else puts up a hattie again. They will however look to dictate the speed of the game early in their own building. That's simply something that cannot happen if the Coyotes want to come out with a win.

Starting Goalies

He wasn't on his sharpest last game, but he also didn't have a lot of support from his team. Turnovers in your own zone giving the other team breakaways by pretty much everyone to some skilled players doesn't much help. At least it should give the Wings some sort of false belief that Bryz is soft. 

Anyone saying that Bryz looked weak also has to admit that Howard wasn't at his best either. Those rebounds that he had been holding in have suddenly returned and not been all that great for Detroit. The Yandle Goal, the Doan goal, and many chances have been because rebounds got sent into the slot rather than to the boards. If we continue crashing him we'll get our goals. 

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After last game we've already heard the complaints. Shane Doan is a dirty player! The Refs missed that blatant high stick! (Complete with screen shots, youtube video and yelling) You guys are a bunch of goons! I honestly don't know what to do with any of that. Play the world's smallest violin? Call the Waahmabulance? Pick another equally lame retort to a lame complaint? Look, I guess I'd be doing the same thing had we lost Game 1, finding a reason, but I'd go with what the more reasonable Wings fans have gone with in saying that the Penalty Kill played pretty poorly, the Coyotes dominated in the circle and the Wings just looked timid out there and were totally unprepared for how aggressive the Coyotes forecheck, backcheck, middle check and personal checks would be.

Those things will have been worked on and worked on in the practices yesterday and this morning and the Wings will certainly be ready for the hitting. The Coyotes both need to keep playing physically, but also keep ahead of the Red Wings by mixing other things up. Though I really don't know how you do that when the Bizzaro Power Play scored 3 of 4 chances. We need to focus on also generating 5 on 5 chances that find the back of the net. Ilya Bryzgalov played a very good game that was only marred by the early goal from just inside the line that he should have been a save. 

The question will really boil down to this: Does this style of play really make the Red Wings look as old as they did the other night? Or did it just catch them off guard enough that we pressed this into a win? Who will be the machine for the Coyotes tonight? We know it's always someone different though Doaner picking up those hits again would be sweet. The Wings will put Justin Abdelkader in the line up to try and turn up the Wings' hitting as well. I'm wondering if it will really matter all that much though because the Wings really did look rattled by the intensity with the scrum after the game. Either way this is going to be an interesting series.

Starting Goalies

Like I said above, the softie was bad, but everything else was outstanding. He cleans up that mistake and he'll be solid. What's to complain about with 2 goals on 40 shots? I mean sure that one was weak, but a 95% save percentage? I read somewhere Wings fans were saying he'd have to play better to win the series and that just confused me. Play better? 2 goals. Our offense just has to play better and score more than 2 a game, hopefully more on even strength. Unless the PP wants to keep up the 75% rate, that's also okay if unlikely.

Howard didn't play a bad game by any definition, he just got beat on the power play with some weak play by the guys in front. Maybe he should have had that third one on the Morris bomb, but you can't fault him. Not that that'll stop the crowd from jeering "Hooowaarrd" at him all game. At least for that he's the new Chris Osgood. Easy name to chant. Bryzgalov doesn't roll off the tongue the same :P

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Are you ready...? I said... ARRRRE YOU READY?! FOR THE WHITEOUT!? I know I am. Even with the letdown in Glendale yesterday this is huge. I'm had trouble sleeping, I kept coming up with crazy ideas of things to do at the arena. I just couldn't stop thinking of the wall of white fans surrounding the arena and cheering the Coyotes on to Victory. 

Sure we've got plenty of Naysayers. "Experts" are mostly picking the Wings. Well "Experts" said we'd be 15th in the West too, so shows how much they know. Like weathermen they are. Anyone saying it's a walk for Detroit are dreaming. This is going to be a hard fought game and series. Y'all be crazy.

Look anywhere on the internet and they're talking about how hot the Red Wings are. How they've played so well down the stretch. How good Jimmy Howard has been. That's great. The Coyotes have been right behind them though. 2nd hottest since the break, Ilya Bryzgalov has played great. The goals have been coming from everywhere and we find ways to come back if we need to. Nothing is impossible for these guys and you bet their playing that same underdog card that got them here in the room. I'd have B-Roll of all those monkey analysts picking the Wings playing on a loop in the locker room right now. Come out with an attitude of F*** 'Em All. Then proceed to trounce these guys. 

The fans should have the same attitude. Own OUR arena. Wings fans want to come we'll take their money, but like I jokingly said before we're going to be louder. We're going to want it more. We're going to own them. We have to. The pressure is all on Detroit. They're the ones everyone is picking to win. I think we can do this. I KNOW we can do this. and we're not going to let this damn team ruin anything. Cinderella isn't done yet. It's no where close to midnight. In fact It'll barely be 7 when the real dance starts.

Starting Goalies

He's been the man all year. So long as his dance routine on the news casts didn't screw him up he should continue to be. The only time he's really broken down is in the early moments. The Coyotes need to put up the defensive screen to push the shots out to the edges for easy saves at least to start.

He's been a monster in goal as of late with a now healthy team in front of them. They've had a middling schedule in terms of strength, but even so his numbers have been impressive. The question is can he keep that level of play up in the post season.... (no)

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How awesome is it that we're wanting to win this game, but don't really care all that much? For once that's not because it won't matter and we're looking forward to the draft, but rather that it has no effect on our playoff position was we're locked into 4th place? Do a happy dance. Do happy dance. I'm doing one right now. 

It may not count for much to us, but the Sharks still want first in the west and well I just want to wipe the floor with some Sharkies. It's always a good time when we do. The question is do we go for the little rope-a-dope move where we sit back for a bit and then turn it on like we have the last couple? Do we drag it out to a zero zero tie into overtime and the shootout? Naaaaaah. I say we score early, score often, and not let them do the same thing. I think that sounds just about right.

If you were watching last game you saw the Coyotes once again come back in the third (for the first time against the Kings at home) to get the winner in the shootout. Sure, you want to win in regulation, but coming from behind to put yourself in a position to win works too. Both of the teams tonight though have been up and down lately with their intensity witch should concern both. The urgency needs to start tonight, especially for the Coyotes. 

Starting Goalies

Start sharpening up buddy because starting later in the week these games with REALLY matter. Not just kind of matter. He's the MVP of this team, should be an MVP candidate for the league. Do it.

With the Conference on the line there's no way Greiss gets the start. Nabby has been good this year too, but until the last few games the whole team had been shaky. Let's make him nervous heading into the playoffs.

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Crazy Monkey, who had been starting on Shane Doan's back the past 23 games has been placed on waivers. Detroit Red Wings might be interested.

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It's our next to last game of the regular season and rather than wrapping things up and thinking about what to build up for next year, we're looking at how these games effect our possible playoff opposition. That's just a great feeling to be looking at the present rather than the future of the team. Sure We're all concerned about the of the ice crap, but we get at least a couple more weeks of Coyotes hockey and hopefully more. 

One thing that should hopefully help us out tonight and into the playoffs is that the monkey on Shane Doan's back is hopefully gone. He finally scored a goal after a 23 game drought and man did it feel good for him and for the crowd last night. We can only hope that he goes on a tear from that. While last night was far from perfect we really truned it on and need to keep that 3rd period intensity we had for the whole game against the Kings. 

If not, the Kings could leapfrog over both Nashville and Detroit to become the 5th seed and our playoff opponent with a W. As it stands right now they'd get the Sharks in a 2-7 matchup. While we've played well this year, you have to believe that they'd prefer to play us in the first round rather than the Sharks. They've won 3 of the 5 meetings this year, but we haven't seen each other since December. They have yet to see Stempniak or Wolski with our team so there's at least a small weakness there to exploit. 

Starting Goalies:

As is usual LaBarbera gets the second half of the back-to-back games and gives Bryzgalov a break until Saturday. Jason has been solid in goal even if he hasn't managed all the Ws. a 2.16 GAA and a .929 sv% is nothing to scoff at for a backup. 

Currently embroiled in a bit of a goalie controversy, Quick has played well, but is getting pushed by Erik Ersberg for the starting position. One would think that would be the case for an Olympic goalie, but he's found himself there not so much because of his poor play, but decent play from Ersberg and Jonathan Bernier looking spectacular in his recent games.

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