Game Preview
The Arizona Coyotes will play their second and final home game before heading on the road tonight. The Desert Dogs beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 and are looking to win again tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
After a regulation win over the Predators on Saturday afternoon, the Coyotes walked away with two much-needed points. It was a messy game, but the Coyotes got the result that they needed.
Despite never trailing, the Coyotes didn’t seem to be in control for much of the game. They were badly outshot in the opening period, and their multiple penalties prevented them from building consistent momentum.
A significant reason the Coyotes won is the stellar play of Connor Ingram. Ingram made 30 saves on 32 shots, including ten saves on 11 power play shots. The Coyotes relied on Ingram to bail them out multiple times, and whoever is net tonight will need a stellar game.
The month of January has been a difficult one for the Coyotes, especially when you look at the teams they played. They have played some of the best teams in the NHL, including a recent game against the Vancouver Canucks, one of the top teams in the Western Conference.
Tonight will not be one of those nights. The Penguins are the second-worst team in the Metropolitan Division, not exactly the cream of the crop.
But don’t let the Penguins’ position in the standings fool you; they aren’t a weak team. With a 21-16-6 record, the Penguins have one more point than the Coyotes despite playing one fewer game. Despite the low spot right now, the Penguins could still grab a Wild Card spot this season.
Tonight will be the second meeting between these two teams, with the first resulting in a 4-2 Penguins win in December. It was a tie game after two periods, but the Penguins ran away with the game in the third period. They first scored on the power play early in the period, then scored an empty-net goal.
If the Coyotes want to avoid repeating their mistakes in that game, they need to stay out of the box. The Coyotes are the fourth-most heavily penalized team in the NHL this season, and the Yotes’ penalty kill isn’t nearly prevent their opponents from taking advantage on the power play.
Players to Watch
Arizona: Clayton Keller – Keller had two goals against the Predators, his second two-goal night in four games. He also played 23 minutes and 43 seconds, the most of any Coyotes’ skater in that game. He was held off the scoresheet in the first game against the Penguins, so hopefully, he will have a better game tonight.
Pittsburgh: Jake Guentzel – Guentzel scored in the Penguins’ last game against the Golden Knights, his 20th goal of the season. He scored twice against the Coyotes during the December game.
Injuries
Arizona: Travis Boyd (pectoral), Barrett Hayton (upper body), Vladislav Kolyachonok (lower body), Nick Schmaltz (upper body)
Pittsburgh: John Ludvig (undisclosed), Matt Nieto (knee), Reilly Smith (upper body)
Puck Drop
Tonight’s game will be at Mullett Arena with a 7:00 p.m. start time. It will air on Scripps.