Coyotes hang on for win over Penguins behind solid Greiss: By The Numbers
Mar 26, 2014, 2:06 AM | Updated: 2:06 am
Not much had gone right for the Phoenix Coyotes in the last 24 hours.
They lost a two-goal lead before falling in overtime to the New York Rangers on Monday. Goaltender Mike Smith suffered a leg injury that appeared to be serious, though he’s now listed as day-to-day.
But then things turned around — at least for one day.
The Coyotes raced out to an early lead and Mikkel Boedker buried the eventual game-winner midway through the second period, and Phoenix held on for a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins — locking up a season sweep of the second-best team in the Eastern Conference.
Here’s a closer look at the win, by the numbers:
1
The Coyotes were called for just one penalty in the win, when Chris Summers was whistled for a two-minute interference call midway through the first period.
2
Coyotes captain Shane Doan tallied two assists in the win, which was reminiscent of the grind-it-out style Phoenix has been so successful in employing under head coach Dave Tippett.
2
The Coyotes’ defense limited Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby to just two shots on goal in his team-high 23 minutes of ice time, though he assisted on the Penguins’ goal that tied the game at one.
3
After Tuesday’s win, the Coyotes found themselves with a three-point lead over the Dallas Stars for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, and also trailed the Minnesota Wild by three points for the No. 7 spot.
4
The Coyotes were without four regulars in Tuesday’s win — Mike Ribeiro, Derek Morris, Lauri Korpikoski and Smith, but still found a way to earn a much-needed two points on the road.
23
Coyotes goalie Thomas Greiss made 23 saves while stepping in for Smith, who hasn’t given a timetable for his return. The Coyotes called up 21-year-old rookie Mark Visentin to serve as their backup goalkeeper while Smith is unable to play.
27
Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson logged a game-high 27 minutes of ice time — almost four minutes more than the next-closest player on either team. Ekman-Larsson got three shots on goal to go along with a blocked shot and hit.
