‘Yotes Notes: Coyotes can’t hold off rallying Senators
Oct 16, 2013, 5:31 AM | Updated: 3:20 pm
The Phoenix Coyotes slipped up Tuesday in a loss to the Ottawa Senators.
The Coyotes jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second period but the Senators were able to fight their way back. Jason Spezza led the charge with a hat trick and it looked like the Coyotes might not get a chance to win it back.
Until Mike Ribeiro scored his first goal as a Coyote, tying the game at 3-3 with a power play deflection with under four minutes remaining.
Neither team was able to break the deadlock until overtime, when a goal from Cory Conacher gave Ottawa the extra point.
THE GOOD
The Coyotes jumped on the Sens in the second period, scoring two goals about one minute apart. They were dominant for a majority of the period and tied a season-high with 17 shots.
Phoenix never said die and managed to tie the game up at 3-3 with just a few minutes remaining in the third period off of the tipped goal from Ribeiro.
THE BAD
The Coyotes only managed four shots on goal in the first period and none were threatening.
A mental error cost the Coyotes a goal in the third. Goalie Mike Smith misjudged a puck and, instead of taking a penalty, attempted to get back into goal. He ran into a Coyotes defenseman and the net was left open for an easy Ottawa goal.
Ottawa’s third goal was scored on a power play that likely shouldn’t have been called. It appeared that Senators forward Bobby Ryan may have injured Coyotes defensman Rostislav Klesla who was struggling to get off the ice. Phoenix was assessed a two-minute penalty for having too many men on the ice.
NOTED
– Mikkel Boedker tallied his 100th career NHL point when he assisted Radim Vrbata’s goal in the second.
– New Coyotes center Jeff Halpern made his debut with the Coyotes.
– Ottawa’s Jason Spezza scored a natural hat trick. It was Spezza’s fifth career hat trick.
– Coyotes defenseman Derek Morris missed Tuesday’s game with a lower-body injury. The Coyotes are 0-2-1 this season when he doesn’t play.
HE SAID IT
“Everything [Tippett] told us before the game happened. They were hungry. They went after us. We didn’t respond to it.” – Coyotes forward Radim Vrbata on a competitive Ottawa Senators team
WHAT’S NEXT
The Coyotes head to California for a Friday night matchup with the Anaheim Ducks. The puck drops at 7 p.m. and the game can be heard on Arizona Sports 620.
