Game Preview
It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and the Arizona Coyotes have much to be thankful for. They are only a point out of a playoff spot, and they can overtake the team above them tonight when they host the St. Louis Blues.
The Blues were one of the first teams the Coyotes played this season, and they won the first matchup handily. Arizona beat St. Louis 6-2 on October 19th, a game that saw nine players register points.
That isn’t to say that the Coyotes should take the Blues lightly. Arizona and St. Louis met two weeks ago in what may be their most embarrassing loss of the season.
The Coyotes may have only lost 2-1, but don’t let the score fool you. The Blues had seven power play opportunities and outshot the Desert Dogs 33-20, and it would have been much worse if the Coyotes hadn’t found a way to stay out of the box for the final period and play somewhat competitively.
Unfortunately, the Coyotes suffered some key injuries after that game. Jack McBain was injured in that matchup, and Juuso Välimäki and Barrett Hayton got hurt no long after. Those are three key players for the Desert Dogs, and their absence is felt in every game.
The Blues have had an effective run since beating the Coyotes. They are 3-2-0 with an 8-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche, a 5-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, and a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Their two losses were both 5-1, with the Blues falling to the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings.
The 8-2 win over the Avalanche came right after the Blues beat the Coyotes, which seemed to give them a lot of confidence. Both Brayden Scheen and Pavel Buchnevich recorded hat tricks in the game, which is impressive for a team that has scored the fifth-fewest goals in the NHL.
It is vital that the Coyotes do not take the Blues lightly tonight. They clearly did not come ready to play in their last matchup, which led to them taking penalty after penalty. Even with the injuries, this is a very winnable game for the Desert Dogs. They just need to be ready and take their opponents seriously.
Players to Watch
Arizona: Lawson Crouse – Crouse had a goal in the Coyotes’ last game and has three goals in four games. He had the Coyotes’ lone goal against the Blues in their last matchup.
St. Louis: Pavel Buchnevich – Buchnevich had a goal in the Blues’ last game against the Anaheim Ducks and comes into tonight’s game with 11 points in 15 games. He didn’t play the first time these two teams met, but he had an assist in their last game.
Injuries
Arizona: Barrett Hayton, Juuso Välimäki, Jack McBain, Travis Der
St. Louis: Josh Jacobs, Anton Malmstrom
Puck Drop
Tonight’s game will be at Mullett Arena with a 7:00 p.m. start. It will air on Scripps.