Game Preview
The Arizona Coyotes’ road trip is not going as planned. After winning their last game at home, the Coyotes hoped they would have some momentum going into their three-game road trip. That has not been the case, as the Yotes dropped their last two matches.
Arizona followed up their 7-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks with a 4-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. It was a tough loss in which penalties again played a pivotal role.
The Wild went one-for-four with the man advantage. Unfortunately for the Coyotes, the one was the game-winning goal, followed up with two empty-netters late in the third period.
The Coyotes have taken a lot of penalties this season, and with 794 penalty minutes, they are currently third behind the Anaheim Ducks and Florida Panthers. But one penalty continues to haunt them: too many men on the ice. That particular penalty has proven to be a problem for the past two seasons, and something needs to change soon. Jack McBain served the penalty against the Wild and played only three minutes and 33 seconds, so clearly, Coyotes’ coach André Tourigny is starting to get tired of it.
Since falling 4-0 to the Coyotes, the Red Wings have continued losing. They fell 5-3 to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday and lost 7-3 to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. The Red Wings have dropped their last six games, and if this keeps going, they will find themselves falling out of a playoff spot.
It is surprising that the Red Wings are struggling because they do have some solid pieces. Alex DeBrincat isn’t playing as well as he did in his final season in Chicago, but he still has 23 goals and 54 points in 65 games this season. Additionally, 21-year-old forward Lucas Raymond is playing well in his third season. He has already set a new career-high in assists and seems poised to beat his previous 57 points.
The Red Wings’ big issue is goaltending. Alex Lyon has been the starter for the first time in his career, with 32 starts. Following him are Ville Husso (18) and James Reimer (14).
The Coyotes faced Lyon in their last match, and he has struggled in his first season as a starter. He comes into tonight’s game with a 3.03 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage. However, with Lyon losing his last match against the Yotes, they may decide to go with 35-year-old James Reimer, who has a 3.09 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage.
Players to Watch
Arizona: Nick Bjugstad – Bjugstad scored the Coyotes’ lone goal against the Wild, his 16th of the season. He had a goal and an assist in the last game against Detroit, and has four points in his last four games.
Detroit: Lucas Raymond—Raymond scored a goal and an assist in the Red Wings’ last game, ending a five-game pointless streak.
Injuries
Arizona: Travis Boyd (pectoral), Barrett Hayton (lower body)
Detroit: Ville Husso (lower body), Dylan Larkin (lower body)
Puck Drop
Today’s game will be at 4:00 p.m. Arizona time and will air on Scripps.