Game Preview
The Arizona Coyotes are back in action and looking to defend their five-game win streak. The Coyotes have beaten their last five opponents, the last five Stanley Cup winners, tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Coyotes have all the momentum going into tonight’s game after beating the Washington Capitals 6-0. The win featured a 5-goal first period and their first short-handed goal of the season. It was a commanding win, showing the Coyotes are doing something right.
Everything has been clicking for the Desert Dogs lately, especially their offense. The Coyotes are getting offense from their three main lines with support for their defensemen.
That was on display against the Capitals, which saw ten players register points in the win, and the Blues win, which had seven players.
Unfortunately, the Coyotes are without defenseman Sean Durzi for tonight’s game. Durzi sustained a lower-body injury against the Capitals and is currently day-to-day. Yesterday coach André Tourigny told reporters he will make the upcoming road trip, but he is doubtful for tomorrow.
Durzi joins several Coyotes players who are currently injured. The Coyotes have seen so many injuries they are comfortably playing 11 forwards and 7 defensemen.
The Coyotes’ opponents tonight are doing very well this season and come into tonight’s game third in an extremely tight Metropolitan Division. With 28 points, there are currently five teams within three points of the Flyers in their division. If The Rangers are the runaway favorite to win the division, but all the other spots are anyone’s guess.
The Flyers come into tonight’s game with a win streak of their own, with back-to-back wins over the Pittsburgh Penguins. They beat the Penguins 4-3 in the shootout on Saturday and 2-1 in overtime on Monday.
Philadelphia doesn’t score a lot of goals, but their opponents don’t either. Perhaps not surprisingly for a John Tortorella team, the Flyers are 22nd in goals scored per game and 9th in goals allowed per game.
For the Coyotes, the game plan needs to be to keep doing what they are doing. Everyone on the lineup needs to shoot the puck, they need to get some good goaltending, and they need to do what they can to stay out of the box. They know how to win, they just have to do it.
Players to Watch
Arizona: Clayton Keller – Both Keller and Alex Kerfoot had three points against the Capitals, Keller’s second three-point night. Keller comes into tonight’s game with 24 points in 24 games with the Coyotes.
Philadelphia: Travis Konecny – The 26-year-old winger comes into tonight’s game with two points in his last matchup and four in his previous four. He currently leads the Flyers with 19 points in 25 games.
Injuries
Arizona: Travis Boyd (upper body), Travis Dermott (upper body), Barrett Hayton (upper body), Vladislav Kolyachonok (lower body), Jack McBain (lower body)
Philadelphia: Noah Cates (foot), Ryan Ellis (Pelvis)
Puck Drop
Tonight’s game will be at the Mullett with a 7:00 p.m. start. It will air on Scripps.