Phoenix Coyotes vs. Nashville Predators
Sommet Center – Nashville, Tennessee
Puck Drops at 6:00PM Arizona Time
TV: FSN AZ (HD) – RADIO: XTRA 910

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Last five games:
Predators: 1 – 4 – 0
Coyotes: 4 – 1 – 0
Last ten games:
Predators: 4 – 6 – 0
Coyotes: 7 – 3 – 0

The Phoenix Coyotes travel to snowy Nashville to take on the Predators for the second of four meetings this season.  The Coyotes won the last meeting of these two teams in Phoenix (on January 21, 2010) by a score of 4-2.

As we’ve said before, Head Coach Barry Trotz, a potential Jack Adams candidate, has taken a Predators roster that doesn’t have very much talent and turned them into a very competitive team.   The Predators are currently in seventh place in the western conference and second place in their division.

As you all know, the Phoenix Coyotes are riding a four game winning streak and are looking to not only extend their winning streak but chip away at the Pacific Division lead.

As is with most hockey related sites, writers use the term ‘the Phoenix Coyotes led by Captain Shane Doan’ so frequently that it loses it’s effectiveness and angers the Coyotes faithful in the process (I mean there are other players on the roster).  When this term is used to describe where the Phoenix Coyotes are at this moment in time….in Nashville, it fits perfectly.

The Phoenix Coyotes have seemed to finally awaken from it’s average defensive  slumber in January and are starting to play a very tough sixty minutes of defense each night.  Highlighted by the withstanding a 22 shots in the third period from the Dallas Stars, the Phoenix Coyotes have finally gotten back to playing ‘Coyotes Hockey’.

Can’t wait for the game to start!

Things to watch for:

Peter Mueller – Will he continue to step up and fill the role of Scottie Upshall’s scoring production or was this a one game occurrence?  I know fans are rooting for him to keep up the pace.

Coyotes D – One interesting thing to note about the Predators scoring is that their top seven scorers all have around 30 points each (+/- 3).  That’s some pretty impressive numbers and depth.  This scoring depth has the potential to give the Coyotes headaches if they’re not on their games tonight.

Keys to the game:

Limit the Predators shots – For the last six of 10 games the Predators have played, they have out shot their opponents.

Keep it up! – The Coyotes are on a four game winning streak and it’s starting to look like they’re playing as a cohesive unit (especially in their defensive zone) as they did in the beginning of the season.

Scoring first -  As you can see in the game notes below, the Predators and Coyotes have #1 and #2 records in the NHL when scoring the first goal of the game.

Game Notes:

-Coyotes reporting that Robert Lang will be back in the lineup tonight after being a scratch in the Dallas game.

- Nashville is 20-3-1 when scoring the first goal in the game which is second in the league behind…..wait for it…..Phoenix who has a record of 26-2-2 when scoring the first goal of the game.

- Nashville is 17-4-1 when recording a power play goal in the game

Officials:

Referees – Dan Marouelli (#6), Rob Martell (#26)

Linesmen – Steve Barton (#59), Mark Shewchyk (#92)

Injuries:

Coyotes: Kurt Sauer, Scottie Upshall (possibly out for the season with an ACL tear)

Predators: Marcel Goc (Probable), Wade Belak

(doubtful)