Game Recap
The Arizona Coyotes dropped their third straight game last night, falling 6-2 to the Winnipeg Jets. The Coyotes chased the entire match as they failed to mount any kind of comeback against the top team in the Western Conference.
The first period was all Jets, and the Coyotes were thankful to only be down a goal by the end of it. Vladislav Namestnikov scored first Winnipeg just over 17 minutes into a period that saw the Jets outshoot the Coyotes 14-4. It didn’t help that the Coyotes took two penalties in the opening frame and failed to convert when they were given the man advantage.
The second period was more of the same, with Nikolaj Ehlers scoring four minutes in, doubling the Jets’ lead and deepening the Coyotes’ hole.
Arizona finally got their first shot of the period and fifth overall at 8 minutes and 10 seconds, and thankfully, it was a good one. Nick Schmaltz saw his shot redirected by a Jets player’s stick and into the back of the net, making it 2-1 and giving the Coyotes a chance at a comeback.
Unfortunately, this would be followed up by an own goal by the Coyotes, with Dylan Guenther accidentally redirecting a puck into a wide-open net on a delayed call. Even if Guenther hadn’t hit the puck, the Jets were likely to score anyway, but either way, the second period ended with the Coyotes down two goals.
The Coyotes desperately needed a big third period where they took control, and they did not get it. Just over five minutes in, Winnipeg increased their lead to Mark Scheifele to 4-1 with his 13th of the season.
But there was one bright spot in a bleak third period: Dylan Guenther scored on a wrap-around in his first game of the season with the big club.
Connor Hellebuyck went out to play the puck, only to see Guenther steal it and tuck it into an empty net. With Zucker only out for one more game, Guenther does not have much time to make an impact, and he made the most of his time up with that goal.
That was about it for good things, though. Scheifele scored when the Coyotes pulled Karel Vejmelka with two minutes left, and Adam Lowry scored another for good measure.
Overall, it was an awful showing against against a good team. We have seen the Coyotes come out ready to play against top teams, but they looked utterly unprepared to face the Jets. Maybe their luck has run out, or perhaps the Coyotes’ injuries are finally starting to catch up with them, but they need to do a lot of soul-searching.
Lines
Three Stars
- Mark Scheifele – 2 goals
- Nikolaj Ehlers – Goal and an assist
- Dylan Guenther – Goal
Puck Drop
The Coyotes will be back in action tomorrow when they host the Boston Bruins at 7:00 p.m.