Coyotes 4 – Canucks 3 (SO) – While everyone was watching the offense….
….no one was watching the poor displays of defense from both teams during the game (especially TSN).
This aspect of the match-up between the Coyotes and Canucks was the difference in the outcome the game. Both teams had major lapses in their defense that were exploited for goals. The goals that the Coyotes allowed were not only stoppable they were the major reasons that the game went to overtime and into the shootout.
This game should have never reached overtime.
The defensive problems that the Coyotes displayed stemmed from either the defensive pairings not being familiar with one another or that the days off between games effected their abilities to play at a high level of stingy defensive hockey on the ice. Due to the sloppy play overall, I’m going to say the latter.
It’s not a cause for concern….yet…but these defensive lapse should be noted.
Here’s an example of the defensive problems:
Watch here as Vancouver Canucks forward Henrik Sedin (#33) slides in front of Ilya Bryzgalov, pulls up a chair, orders dinner/drinks, reads the newspaper and then score Vancouver’s first goal of the game….without a single Coyotes defender anywhere near him.
Other things to note about last night’s game:
- Taylor Pyatt Scored his 100th Career goal
- According to the official NHL scorers, the Coyotes did not allow a shot on goal for the final 10 minutes (approximately) of the third period
- Fiddler was a goal short of a Gordie Howe Hat Trick
- The Canucks month long, 14 game road trip from hell ended in Phoenix.
- The Coyotes start a 4 game road trip in the Southeastern US Saturday in Carolina.
- The next three Coyotes games WILL NOT be televised on local TV. After those three games, all remaining games on the schedule will be televised on Fox Sports Arizona.
Game Highlights:
Coach Tippett’s Post Game Presser (Courtesy of PhoenixCoyotes.com):
Photos from the game:
http://canucks.nhl.com/club/gallerylanding.htm?id=14507&intcmpid=van-more-post-phxgallery
Game Summary:
http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/GS020989.HTM
Event Summary:
http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/ES020989.HTM
Play by Play:
http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/PL020989.HTM
Faceoff Stats:
http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/FC020989.HTM
Shootout Stats:
http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/SO020989.HTM
Download a copy of the game (MP3 format) from the Team 1040 in Vancouver for a Canucks perspective of the game. The MP3′s will be available until the next Canucks game so download them now!
http://www.team1040.ca/shared/podcast_rss.php?play=canucks
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