Game Preview
The Arizona Coyotes are back in action and looking to end their two-game losing streak. The Coyotes dropped the first game of their three-game road trip against the Boston Bruins, but they have a chance to make it up tonight in the first game of a back-to-back.
Despite the loss, the Coyotes played a good game against one of the top teams in the NHL. After giving up three goals, they had a good comeback effort and kept it close. It would always be a tough matchup, but they had a respectable showing.
But there is no need to make excuses for the Coyotes’ loss. They will be challenged these next two games, with a back-to-back against the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins.
The back-to-back puts the Coyotes in an interesting situation. The Coyotes have been riding goaltender Connor Ingram a lot lately, with Karel Vejmelka not playing since November 22nd against the St. Louis Blues.
Ingram has been the stronger netminder this season, but you have to expect Vejmelka to start tonight against the Sabres or tomorrow against the Penguins.
The Sabres were expected to compete this season, but things haven’t worked out for the Western New York team. The Sabres are currently second-to-last in the Atlantic Division with 25 points in 28 games.
The Sabres have a lot of problems, chief among them being a lack of offense. Buffalo is 25th in goals scored per games played, averaging just 2.88 goals per game. They do still have some offensive weapons, both Jeff Skinner and JJ Peterka have 12 and 11 goals, respectively, and Casey Mittelstadt has 22 points on the season, but as a team, the Sabres aren’t scoring enough goals.
Buffalo is marginally better defensively. The Sabres are 20th in goals allowed per games played, not great, but better. Buffalo’s best goaltender this season is 24-year-old Finnish netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who has a 2.81 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage over 13 games. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen hasn’t played since December 3rd due to illness, but he was on the ice for practice last Saturday, and as of this writing, it is unclear if he is ready to go tonight.
The Coyotes should have the edge when it comes to special teams. The Sabres’ power play is ranked 25th (14.3%), while their power play is slightly better than the Coyotes at 13th (81.1%). Arizona played the best penalty killers in the league in their last match, so tonight will hopefully go better with the man advantage.
For the Coyotes, tonight has to be business as usual. On paper, they are the better team, and they just need to go out and do what they have done this season. The Coyotes are currently in a good spot in the standings, but winning games like tonight’s is how a team wins a Wild Card spot.
Players to Watch
Arizona: Clayton Keller – After five games without a goal, Keller lit the lamp against the Bruins for his ninth goal of the season. He has four games in his last three games.
Buffalo: Jeff Skinner – Skinner had a goal in the Sabres’ last matchup and leads the Sabres with 12 goals. He has three points in his previous three games.
Injuries
Arizona: Travis Boyd (upper body), Barrett Hayton (upper body), Vladislav Kolyachonok (lower body), Jack McBain (lower body)
Buffalo: Zemgus Girgensons (lower body), Jordan Greenway (upper body), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (questionable, illness), Jack Quinn (Achilles), Alex Tuch (lower body)
Puck Drop
Tonight’s game will be in Buffalo with a 5:00 p.m. start time. It will air on MSG-B and Scripps.