ARIZONA COYOTES

Marquee week: Coyotes face NHL’s top team plus two-time defending champs

Dec 13, 2017, 6:35 PM | Updated: Dec 14, 2017, 11:58 am

Arizona Coyotes center Derek Stepan, middle, celebrates his goal against the Dallas Stars with Coyo...

Arizona Coyotes center Derek Stepan, middle, celebrates his goal against the Dallas Stars with Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (23) and center Nick Cousins (25) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

LISTEN: John Chayka, Coyotes GM

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Coyotes don’t need additional fuel for this stretch of nine home games in their next 11.

On the negative side of motivational scale, they’re at the bottom of the NHL standings with a 7-21-5 record. On the positive side, it means they have completed the most grueling early-season road schedule in NHL history.

All the same, it will add a little juice when the Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins come to Gila River Arena for games on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

“It’s a good opportunity for us to understand how sharp you have to be,” Coyotes center Derek Stepan said. “If we’re not sharp against these two teams, they’re going to take it to us.”

The Lightning enters the game with the NHL’s best record at 22-6-2. They have scored the league’s most goals (113), they have surrendered the league’s third fewest goals (74), they have the league’s best power play (27.67 percent) and they own the league’s top two point producers in forwards Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos (42 points each).

“Last year was just an anomaly for them not to make the playoffs,” Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said. “They’ve got everything. They’ve got one of the best defensemen in the league (Victor Hedman). They’ve got two of the best goal scorers in the league, Kucherov and Steven Stamkos. They’ve got a goalie that’s up for the Vezina [Andrei Vasilevskiy]. They’ve got all the tools.”

The Penguins have proven they have all the tools by winning the Stanley Cup the last two seasons, becoming the first team to repeat since Detroit did it in 1997 and 1998.

“You always want to compare yourself and measure yourself against the best,” Coyotes defenseman Luke Schenn said. “Standings-wise, we know there’s a big separation but you always want to get up for those games.

“We have been able to play against and have good games against top teams in the league this year so we know it’s there. It’s just a matter of doing it consistently.”

It would be poor analysis to dismiss the impact the early-season schedule has had on a team incorporating so many new faces, so much youth and a new coaching staff and style of play, but the players won’t go so far as to label it as an excuse. Stepan said the Coyotes are just looking forward to a favorable schedule that allows them a better chance to establish some momentum and find out what they’re capable of.

“I think this is a great stretch to put something together and prove to ourselves that we can play this game, that we can hang and we can execute our system for 60 minutes of hockey,” he said. “With how much travel and games we were playing, we were a little bit of a roller coaster due to the fact that we just played so much hockey.

“That’s just the way it is, but this next 11-game stretch is a really good opportunity for us to put something together.”


Lightning at Coyotes

When: 7 p.m., Thursday

Where: Gila River Arena

TV: FOX Sports Arizona

Radio: 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station

Records: Coyotes — 7-21-5. Lightning — 22-6-2.

Injury report: Coyotes — D Niklas Hjalmarsson (upper body) and F Zac Rinaldo (illness) are day to day. Lightning — D Braydon Coburn (lower body) is day to day.

Lightning scouting report: Tampa owns the NHL’s highest point total (46) and has won five straight … Fs Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos are tied for the NHL lead with 42 points. Kucherov is tied with Washington’s Alex Ovechkin for the goal scoring lead with 21 … G Andrei Vasilevskiy is tied for second in the NHL in save percentage (.930) among goalies who have played at least 12 games.

Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller...

Associated Press

Clayton Keller becomes 2nd Coyotes player with 400 points in win over Devils

Karel Vejmelka stopped 37 shots and the Arizona Coyotes beat the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

2 days ago

Arizona Coyotes center Logan Cooley, right, is greeted by defenseman Travis Dermott (33) after scor...

Associated Press

Arizona Coyotes beat struggling Detroit Red Wings again

Logan Cooley had a short-handed goal in the first period, Michael Carcone broke a tie in the second and the Coyotes beat the Red Wings 4-1.

4 days ago

Arizona Coyotes CEO and president Xavier Gutierrez...

Associated Press

Arizona Coyotes cleared to bid on north Phoenix land for new arena

The Arizona Coyotes have the green light to bid on a tract of land in north Phoenix in their yearslong bid to build a new arena.

4 days ago

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Josh Brown, left, and Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi (23) compete for...

Associated Press

Penalty kill falters again, Coyotes lose to the Minnesota Wild

Nick Bjugstad had another goal against his hometown team but the Coyotes penalty kill couldn't contain the Minnesota Wild in a road loss.

6 days ago

Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller...

Associated Press

Coyotes’ Clayton Keller scores twice in loss to Blackhawks, Colin Blackwell delivers hat trick

Colin Blackwell got his first hat trick and Connor Bedard had two goals, leading the Blackhawks to a victory over the Coyotes.

8 days ago

Dylan Guenther #11 of the Arizona Coyotes warms up before the NHL game against the Boston Bruins at...

David Veenstra

Arizona Coyotes’ Dylan Guenther has water turned off after he doesn’t pay utility bill

Arizona Coyotes' Dylan Guenther and teammate Jack McBain had their water turned off this week after they did not pay their utility bill.

10 days ago

Marquee week: Coyotes face NHL’s top team plus two-time defending champs