Phoenix Coyotes Hockey on AZ Vibe

Phoenix Coyotes vs. Calgary Flames
Penngrowth Saddledome – Calgary, Alberta
Puck Drops at 7 PM AZ time
No Local TV – Radio Only Broadcast locally on XTRA Sports 910

Record over the Last 10 Games:
Coyotes: 4 – 5 – 1 Flames: 6 – 2 – 2

Coyotes Road Record: 6 – 5 – 1
Flames Home Record: 6 – 5 – 0

The Coyotes end their two game Alberta road trip in Calgary to face the Flames in their first of four matchups of the season. The game will be televised on Canadian national TV so the Coyotes will have a chance to show what they’re made of to all the nay-sayers (the Oilers game was a Pay-Per View broadcast in Edmonton) in the Canadian media.

The Calgary Flames seem to be a bit of a head scratcher as for many years as they have been an extremely solid team in the regular season but have never been able to translate that in the postseason by early exits to the golf course.

This year they have dropped statistically across the board as:

- They’re amongst the bottom of the league in faceoffs
- Have an average home record
- Can’t beat the top tier teams of the league and struggle against teams they’re supposed to beat.
- The middle of the pack for Power Play percentage
- At the bottom of the heap for Penalty Kill percentage

One look at the teams they’ve played on their schedule will give people the answer to that question.

The Flames boast that they have balanced scoring in that 16 of the players on their roster have registered a multi point game this season and all but four players on the roster have registered a goal.

Granted Jarome Iginla is still a force to be reckoned with as he alone can win a game for the Flames if he’s pissed off.

It should be an interesting matchup between both teams. However, the Coyotes need to find a way to solve hot goaltenders or get under their skin (smack talk, running them, etc). No way this good of a team should put up with yet another hot goaltender (like with the Habs, Lightning, Blues, and the Oilers).

Finally, if you haven’t heard by now, the Coyotes activated Ed Jovanovski and Zbynek Michalek off of injured reserve and will be available for tonight’s game.

Things to watch for:

Ed Jovanovski and Zbynek Michalek – I’m curious as to how much ice time they’re both going to get in their first game back. Don’t expect them to be at the same level they were at when they got injured. Give it a game or so.

Coyotes Offense – They gotta start clicking across all lines, keep an eye on how they move forward from the Edmonton Game.

Keys to the game:

Do. Not. Awaken/Piss off. Jarome. Igilna. – Seriously. If you get under his skin or make him mad, he has the ability to single handedly change the course of a game. Yes, he’s that good.

Coyotes Offense – As anemic as it is, the Coyotes need to score goals. They’re not going to win many games if they keep relying by scoring on primary scoring chances/shots. The goals are going to come in front of the net and in scrums in front of the net.

STAY OUT OF THE #@!$@#$!@%$#@$%$%%@& PENALTY BOX -

Referees – Eric Furlatt, Dennis LaRue
Linesmen – Mike Cvik, Don Henderson

Injuries:

Coyotes: Kurt Sauer
Flames: Rene Bourque (Game time decision)

Adrian Aucoin’s thoughts on returning to Alberta:

http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=507462&navid=DL|PHX|home

Game Notes

- Jarome Igilna needs 1 assist to reach 450 for his career
- Adrian Aucoin, Jim Vandermeer, and Matthew Lombardi are all three Former Flames who will be returning to play their former team.
- Flames D-Man Jay Bouwmeester is the current NHL Ironman (played most amount of current games without injury) at 364 games