Phoenix Coyotes Hockey on AZ Vibe

As you know since the game wasn’t televised at all so there isn’t a write up….or post game video for that matter.  There’s some game footage in the Ducks video link below but it’s mostly fluff.

Photos from the game:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/gallerylanding.htm?id=10702

Game Summary:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/GS020380.HTM

Event Summary:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/ES020380.HTM

Play by Play:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/PL020380.HTM

Faceoff Stats:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/FC020380.HTM

Tippett’s presser:

http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/podcastplayer.htm?pid=337&iid=17522&navid=DL|PHX|home

Post Game comments from Jim Vandermeer:

http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/podcastplayer.htm?pid=335&iid=17524&navid=DL|PHX|home

Ducks fluff/game footage:

Coyotes vs Ducks
The Pond (Honda Center)
Puck Drops at 6:00 PM AZ Time
No TV at all

Last 10 Games:

Coyotes: 4 – 5 – 1

Ducks: 5 – 4 – 1

The Coyotes fly into Anaheim to take on the Ducks whom all of a sudden realized that they can actually play defense without Chris Pronger on the roster.  For whatever reason, the Ducks were at the top of the leagues in just about every offensive team category but couldn’t get the job done in their defensive zone.

Winning four out of the past five games have seen the Ducks play some great defensive games culminating with a shutout of the high powered Chicago Blackhawks.

Things to watch:

Normally this section would imply things to ‘watch’ for.  However, since the game isn’t televised at all it would be silly to put something here.

Keys to the game:

Momentum -  Carry that winning attitude from the Stars game into the Ducks game.  Winning is contagious.

Offense – The Ducks have stopped pointing fingers and have started playing defense.  The Coyotes need to find a way to dismantle the Ducks defense.

Injuries:

Coyotes: Kurt Sauer

Ducks: Ryan Carter(foot), Joffrey Lupul(Back)

Officials:

Referees – Don Van Massenhoven, Francois St. Laurence
Linesmen – Mike Cvik, Bryan Pancich

Normally when someone writes about the NHL and an epic fail, most fans would probably start on NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, the Toronto Maple Leafs, officiating, or something silly like that.

However, this is more of a ‘how could this even happen’ epic fail.

If you haven’t noticed tonight Coyotes fans, the game between the Ducks and the Coyotes will not be televised…..at all.  You probably already know by now that FSN Arizona will not be televising the game.   However, if you take a look at the master NHL schedule on NHL.com tonight’s Ducks/Coyotes game won’t be televised by the Ducks either.

This means that there won’t be any coverage on the NHL Center Ice Package.

This happens at a time where the Coyotes need increased exposure for their fan base.  On a night where only one other game scheduled in the NHL, how can you have this or any untelevised game as a blank spot on the schedule?

Times like this, the NHL should have a plan moving forward to have just the game feed with no audio or commercials for Center Ice subscribers.

I can’t wrap my head around why this game isn’t televised at all….even if it was on public access or channel π here in Phoenix.

It looks like I will be tuning in the Vancouver Canucks/San Jose Sharks game instead to do some advanced scouting.

Tonight is a win for the Canucks/Sharks organizations as they can truly say that they owned the TV ratings for this evening.

Now watch the Ducks/Coyotes game be another fight/hit filled fest like it was earlier this season when these two teams played without TV coverage locally.

Thoughts?

The Phoenix Coyotes have announced that they have loaned 21 year old Victor Tikhonov to the Russian equivalent of the NHL, the Kontinental Hockey League for the rest of the 2009-2010 season.  Tikhonov had been playing with the San Antonio Rampage this season and has two goals and eight assists this season.

Phoenix Coyotes vs. Dallas Stars
Jobing.com Arena – Puck Drops at 7:00 PM
TV: FSN AZ (HD)

Last 10 Games: (Stars) 5 – 3 – 2 (Coyotes) 4 – 5 – 1

The Coyotes and the Stars square off for the second meeting of these division rivals this season.

The Coyotes have been struggling as of late due to their inability to play 60 minutes of disciplined hockey coupled with the fact that the forwards on this roster can’t get the job done in the scoring department.

The Dallas stars have been struggling this season partially because of injuries to key personnel and the inability to play disciplined hockey for a full 60 minutes (sounds familiar, eh?).

Things to look for:

Coyotes Offense: With the Coyotes play as of late deservedly being roasted over an open flame fans should watch to see how they respond in the offensive zone tonight.

Keys to the game:

Go. To. The. Net. – The Coyotes inability to go to the net banging bodies and winning the puck battles in the offensive zone is killing their chances to be successful on a nightly basis.  Perimeter hockey just doesn’t cut it anymore in this league.

Stay out of the penalty box – The day they stop taking dumb penalties is the day I’ll stop making this a key for the game.

Cohones – After losing multiple games to bottom rung and injured teams that they should be beating, its high time the Coyotes equipment manager put a pair of cohones in the locker of each player. It seems that this is a missing piece of key equipment for the team so far this season.

Officials:
Referees: Mike Leggo, Dean Morton Linesmen: Mark Wheeler, Jay Sharrers

Injuries:

Dallas: Fabian Brunnstrom, Brian Sutherby, Nicklas Grossman

Coyotes: Kurt Sauer

- According to the Coyotes website, former Coyotes netminder Alex Auld may get the start tonight in net.

- Ownage: the Coyotes are 5-1-1 in their seven most recent games with the Stars.

- Stars have yet to win a game when trailing after the first period.

Don’t forget! Free tickets to tonight’s game:

http://coyotes.azvibe.com/2009/11/27/kslx-and-the-phoenix-coyotes-offering-free-tickets-during-the-2009-denim-drive/

100.7 KSLX and the Phoenix Coyotes are sponsoring the 2009 Denim Drive benefiting Saint Vincent de Paul. Anyone who comes to tonight’s Coyotes game against the Dallas Stars and donates denim will receive one free ticket to the game. One ticket per person for each donation.

St. Vincent de Paul will then distrubute the donated denim to the homeless.

Close

The Phoenix Coyotes announced that they have recalled 19 year old forward Mikkel Boedker from the San Antonio Rampage (AHL).

The Coyotes came out Friday night with an offensive outburst that most Coyotes fans knew was in them but never have shown on the scoreboard as of yet. Pouncing on numerous Stars mistakes, mostly in transition, the Coyotes scored early and often adding to the Stars record of their inability to comeback from a deficit.

Even though the Stars statistically beat the Coyotes in many categories, their inability to focus on the game for a full 60 minutes was their undoing. The Stars at times showed flashes of brilliance in the Offensive zone with many set plays that were either stopped by Bryz or Stars players weren’t on the receiving end of a great pass.

The Coyotes spent about 10 minutes in the sin bin (penalty box) during this game. However, the refs were calling an extremely tight game to the point to where just silly calls were being made both ways. You can’t really blame the Coyotes when the officials are going to blow the whistle on some really chintzy calls.

This game is a great confidence builder for the Coyotes as when they entire team is ‘on’ they’re extremely tough to beat.

Things to take away from this game:

Lauri Korpikoski – As backup goaltender Jason LaBarbera stated during the FSN AZ broadcast, Korpikoski has the skills but he needs to add confidence to his game for him to do some real damage in the scoring department.

Shane Doan – He’s doing everything right on the ice but score. Even then, he can’t be faulted for not lighting the lamp. If there’s one thing that the Coyotes need is scoring threats on lines that Shane Doan isn’t on. If you watch, teams are focusing their defensive game plans on him and covering him very closely. Once the scoring starts opening up on other lines, Doan can be more productive in the scoring department.

Confidence – IMO, the Coyotes can beat any team in the league right now. They just need to believe that. They’re not going to win every game for the rest of the season but they sure can do some damage in the west from here on out.

Highlights from the game:

Tippett’s post game presser:

Game Summary:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/GS020366.HTM

Event Summary:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/ES020366.HTM

Play by Play:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/PL020366.HTM

Faceoff Stats:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/FC020366.HTM

As stated many times before, if the game isn’t on FSN AZ there won’t be coverage.

Here’s all the post game media for your viewing/listening pleasure:

Game Highlights

Game Summary:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/GS020349.HTM

Event Summary:

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/ES020349.HTM

Play by Play

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/PL020349.HTM

Face Off

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/FC020349.HTM

Post game comments from Dave Tippett:

http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/podcastplayer.htm?pid=337&iid=17414&navid=DL|PHX|home

Post Game comments from Keith Yandle

http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/podcastplayer.htm?pid=335&iid=17418&navid=DL|PHX|home

Calgary Flames – Sights of the game

Calgary Flames – From the dressing room

Calgary Flames – Post game with coach Brent Sutter

The Phoenix Coyotes are taking part in the Black Friday chaos by offering their own killer deal on tickets. Starting Tomorrow at 10 AM until November 30th at 10 pm, Coyotes fans will be able to purchase select lower level seats for only $25….for ANY game on the remaining home game schedule.

You read that correctly. $25 lower level seats for ANY home game at the Jobing.com Arena.

There’s no special code, handshake or any silliness like that.

Just follow this link:

http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/kmtpet

…starting tomorrow at 10 AM and purchase whatever tickets you want.

Seats offered for this deal will be in sections 102, 103, 109, 110, 113, 114, 120 and 121.