Game Recap
If Tuesday’s game was the Arizona Coyotes’ worst game of the season, yesterday’s was the team’s most disappointing. After going up 4-1 in the first period, the Kings scored four straight goals to win 5-4 in regulation.
The team came ready to play, with Matias Maccelli scoring his first of the season just 37 seconds into regulation. Then, when the Kings tied it up with a Mikey Anderson goal just over five minutes in, J.J. Moser, Jack McBain, and Sean Durzi all responded with goals over the next three minutes.
In less than nine minutes, the Coyotes had a commanding lead. All the Coyotes had to do was keep up the pressure, but they took two penalties in the later half of the opening frame, and suddenly, the Kings had all of the momentum.
Not only did the penalties give the Kings momentum going into the first intermission, they would be the start of the Kings’ comeback. Drew Doughty made it 4-2 in the second period on the power play, and Quinton Byfield would make it 4-3 in the third period seconds after a Kings’ power play expired. Then, 11 seconds after Doughty scored the eventual game-winner, Clayton Keller would go to the box for high-sticking, effectively killing off any shot at a Coyotes win.
It was a harsh lesson for a young Coyotes’ team: you can not sit back with a win. Far too often, teams with a lead will play not to lose instead of playing to win, and it just doesn’t work against top talent.
Penalties would also be a deciding factor, one the Coyotes desperately need to address. Penalties swung the momentum in the first period, it helped with the Kings’ comeback, and it doomed any shot at the Coyotes tying it up late in the game. Arizona has taken far too many penalties this season, and they need to find a way to stay disciplined.
It is for the best that the Coyotes had a game like this early in their season. They are far from the only team to fall into a defensive shell with a lead, and as a young team, they needed to learn that it doesn’t work. It is a harsh lesson, but hopefully, one that will make the team better.
Lines
Three Stars
1. Drew Doughty – 2 Goals
2. Mikey Anderson – Goal and an assist
3. J.J. Moser – Goal and an assist
Next Game
The Coyotes will host the Chicago Blackhawks this Monday at 7:00 p.m. Arizona time at Mullett Arena.