Game Preview
The Arizona Coyotes are back on the road for a trip to California to face off against the Anaheim Ducks before returning home to host the Montréal Canadiens tomorrow. The Coyotes will have some momentum after defeating the Chicago Blackhawks this past Monday 8-1.
It is still early, but the Coyotes have been an inconsistent team. They have had some good successes and some awful wins and seem to play best against teams that underestimate them.
Arizona has played three games since they hosted the Ducks at Mullett Arena, winning only one of the three. Both losses came against the Los Angeles Kings, and the win was the previously mentioned 8-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Unlike the Coyotes, the Anaheim Ducks have had a successful run since these two teams last met on the 21st. They dropped their next game 3-1 to the Boston Bruins but won their next four. They beat the Columbus Blue Jackets and Bruins in overtime, then went on to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 7-4 and the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3.
Four straight wins have moved the Ducks up the standings to fourth in the Pacific Division and the first Wild Card spot. They are currently ahead of the Seattle Kraken, Edmonton Oilers, and Calgary Flames, so it is unlikely that they will stay there for the rest of the season.
Despite the surprising success lately, the Ducks do not have great special teams. Their power play is 24th in the NHL, converting only 13.8% of the time. Anaheim’s penalty kill is slightly better at 21st in the NHL, with a 75.0% success rate.
Special teams will likely prove to be a deciding factor tonight, and both teams are likely to have a lot of opportunities. The Ducks have taken the most penalties in the NHL (59), while the Coyotes are 7th in the NHL with 44 penalties taken.
In addition to special teams, goaltending could prove to be a deciding factor. Both teams have solid tandems who have evenly split their matchups. Lukáš Dostál hasn’t gotten as many starts as John Gibson but has an impressive .921 save percentage and 2.79 goals-against average. Dostál gave up two goals the last time these two teams met, so the Ducks may go with Gibson if he is healthy, who has a .902 save percentage and 2.82 goals-against.
Because they are playing in a back-to-back, we are likely to see Karel Vejmelka and Connor Ingram split the starts. Vejmeka started against the Ducks last time, an impressive game that saw him give up only a single goal.
Players to Watch
Arizona: Michael Carcone – I’m not sure how long it will last, but if anyone has momentum going into tonight’s game, it is Carcone. He had a four-point night against the Chicago Blackhawks, which saw him notch his first NHL hat trick. He is currently tied with Clayton Keller, Sean Durzi, and Jack McBain for most goals scored with four.
Anaheim: Mason McTavish – The 20-year-old currently has 11 points in nine games and comes into tonight’s game riding a five-game point streak. He had two goals and an assist in his last game against the Penguins.
Injuries
Arizona: Travis Dermott (day-to-day), Jason Zucker (IR)
Anaheim: John Gibson (day-to-day), Jamie Drysdale (IR), Brock McGinn (IR), Isac Lundeström (IR), Alex Killorn (IR)
Puck Drop
Tonight’s game will be in Anaheim with a 7:00 p.m. start time. It will air on Scripps TV.