Coyotes 2 – Ducks 4 – Jovanovski + Schlemko = Coyotes Loss
Side Note: Just purchased NHL Gamecenter so that I can look back at all the archived games from the past three seasons and finally got a chance to watch this game tonight after David Schlemko was re-assigned back to San Antonio.
The Coyotes ended their road trip in Anaheim where they took on the Ducks in a matinee game that was hoping to be a game that the players could build on with their win in Columbus a few days prior. However, that was not to be.
Two Coyotes defensive players pretty much handed the victory to the Ducks on a silver platter. These two players? Ed Jovanovski and David Schlemko.
Ed Jovanovski
I’ve been saying that there are good times to take penalties and bad times to take penalties.
Good times to take penalties is when you stop an opponent from going on a breakaway towards your goaltender.
Bad times to take penalties is what Ed Jovanovski displayed in Anaheim.
Four stupid penalties totaling eight of the 24 penalty minutes assessed to the Coyotes were all Jovanovski’s doing. What Jovanovski didn’t understand or enter into his mind during the game was:
1) Vernon Fiddler left pretty much after his first shift in the second period taking them down one solid member of the penalty kill unit.
2) The Ducks Power Play has been near or at the top of the NHL all season long
3) The Play of Schlemko (below) was a liability to the Coyotes.
Given all that, the Ducks converted on two of the four penalties Jovanovski took.
David Schlemko
Many Coyotes fans were calling for Jovanovski’s head (yeah I know, only the ones who had Center Ice/Gamecenter) after this game for his boneheaded penalties. Sure Jovanovski is deservedly responsible for two of the goals allowed. However, what Coyotes fans don’t realize was that Schlemko was responsible for the other two.
Anaheim Goal #1 – Watch this video and note the player that ends up BEHIND Bryzgalov after the giftwrapped goal was scored. Schlemko. He should have been in front of the net instead of chasing the puck like a rookie.
Anaheim Goal #2 – If you noted at the beginning of the video there is a player on the right hand side of the screen skating hard behind the play trying to catch up. Who is that player? Schlemko.
He pretty much signed his ticket back to San Antonio with those two goals. Totally unacceptable in the NHL.
There’s not much else to this game. It can be summed up like this:
Jovo’s stupid penalties + Coyotes Stupid Penalties + Schlemko’s HORRID defensive coverage + Hiller’s solid goaltending = Coyotes loss.
Post game presser with coach Dave Tippett:
http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/podcastplayer.htm?pid=337&iid=18266
Post Game Comments from Shane Doan:
http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/podcastplayer.htm?pid=335&iid=18267
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