The manner in which the Phoenix Coyotes defeated the Nashville Predators (by a score of 5-2 last night at the Jobing.com arena) was a great ending to a a game that started out as bad as it could get.

After the Phoenix Coyotes allowed a Shane Weber goal just 12 seconds into the game I was reminded of how good the Predators were when they exploited their opponents weaknesses. Any little opening the Coyotes gave the Predators was exploited as best as possible.

This is how the game started.

The Coyotes got caught napping again in their defensive zone on the second Predators goal as well as three Coyotes players on the penalty kill were caught in area around the mid slot. This allowed Predators Steve Sullivan a wide open shot for a goal.

However, as we said in the pre-game article, the Coyotes and Predators were just about mirror images of each other. This meant that the Coyotes exploited numerous Predators mistakes too. Most of these mistakes the Predators made resulted in goals.

Here’s an example….

In the video below, Coyotes defenseman Keith Yandle takes the puck behind his own net scans the rest of the ice until he sees not only the Predators napping all the way into the neutral zone. He launches a pass to Wojtek Wolski in the neutral zone and skates right past Predators Defenseman Francis Bouillon for the goal. The Coyotes caught the entire Predators team on the ice napping.

As the game progressed, the Coyotes simply dominated the Predators in just about every aspect of the game. Statistically speaking, just about everyone in the Coyotes lineup got a shot on goal and fifteen of the Coyotes players registered a point. In addition the Coyotes dominated the faceoff circle in every situation last night (even strength, power play, and short handed). This is the kind of effort that the Coyotes will need to tap into if they are to be successful in the post season.

Even with this great game the Coyote showed fans, there remains one glaring problem with the Coyotes:

They are 0 for their last 17 power play opportunities.

If they are going to be successful in the post season, they’re going to have to take their successes from their even strength goals in their game with the Predators and apply it in games moving forward. In the even strength situations that lead to goals, the Coyotes were able to find the mismatch and exploit it for a goal. For whatever reason the Coyotes have not been able to translate that on the power play.

Game Highlights

Game summary

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/GS021197.HTM

Event Summary

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/ES021197.HTM

Play by Play

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/PL021197.HTM

Faceoff Stats

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/FC021197.HTM

Postgame comments from Coyotes Head Coach Dave Tippett (Courtesy of PhoenixCoyotes.com):

Postgame comments from Taylor Pyatt, Shane Doan and Vernon Fiddler (Courtesy of PhoenixCoyotes.com):

Post game comments from Petr Prucha (Courtesy of PhoenixCoyotes.com):

http://coyotes.nhl.com/club/podcastplayer.htm?pid=335&iid=21838