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Game Preview
The Arizona Coyotes have been playing with fire lately. They are 2-7-2 in their last twelve games and they no longer have a Wild Card spot.
The Coyotes woke up this morning out of playoff position in the Western Conference after a loss in Boston and wins by Winnipeg & Calgary on Saturday. As far as I can tell, that is the first time they have been out of postseason position since Nov. 10. pic.twitter.com/tNMRaJQ8S1
— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) February 9, 2020
The Coyotes played well to start the game. They kept the Boston Bruins off the scoreboard for the first period and drew first blood with a power play goal from Phil Kessel in the second. Unfortunately, things were almost all downhill from there.
The Bruins would respond with three unanswered goals, including two on the power play. The Coyotes need to be better at holding the lead especially if their offense is going to continue to be inconsistent.
In the Coyotes last twelve games they have been kept to two or fewer goals in seven games. And as Saturday shows it is hard to win games when you are being limited to just two goals.
Like the Coyotes, the Montreal Canadiens are also outside of the playoff picture. Unlike the Coyotes though the Canadiens are on the rise having won their last three and five of their last six.
Montreal’s win-streak isn’t as hard-won as it first appears. Two wins came against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Ducks came during overtime while their win against the New Jersey Devils was in the shootout.
The Canadiens made waves a few weeks back with the signing of Ilya Kovalchuk. Kovalchuk didn’t fit in with the Los Angeles Kings, but with 6 goals and 6 assists in fifteen games.
Players to Watch
Arizona: Clayton Keller - Keller had an assist on the Coyotes’ second goal, his first point in five games. The Coyotes are going to need more from Keller in the final stretch and hopefully, Saturday was just the start.
Montreal: Tomas Tatar - Tatar has proved to be a good addition for the Canadiens having come over in the Max Pacioretty trade. He has hit 20 goals for his second straight season and before his last game, he was riding a six-game point streak.
Injuries
Arizona: Antti Raanta (questionable, lower body), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (questionable, lower body), Jason Demers (oblique), Barrett Hayton (conditioning), Darcy Kuemper (questionable, lower body)
Montreal: Jordan Weal (probable, flu), Shea Weber (lower body), Paul Byron (knee)
Puck Drop
Tonight’s game will be at 5:00 pm Arizona time and will air on Fox Sports Arizona Plus and Fox Sports 910 AM.