Raanta posts second shutout in past three games, Coyotes beat Ducks
Feb 24, 2018, 9:44 PM
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Even during the Coyotes’ recent four-game winning streak, coach Rick Tocchet cautioned that the team still had a lot of work to do. Tocchet’s assessment was more broad-based, but a look at the Coyotes’ schedule left a sobering reminder that Arizona’s four-game winning streak came against three non-playoff teams (Chicago, Montreal, Edmonton) and one bubble team fighting to make the postseason (San Jose).
The past two games came against what Tocchet called “scratching-and-clawing type of teams.” The Coyotes didn’t show well against the Calgary Flames on Thursday after a five-day break, but they rebounded on Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks.
Antti Raanta made 26 saves for his second shutout in his past three games, and the Coyotes improved to 5-1-0 in their past six games with a 2-0 win against Anaheim at Gila River Arena.
“That’s a hell of a hockey team,” Tocchet said of the Ducks, who had won four straight, the last two by shutout. “I thought we had some good, Grade-A chances and I thought we did a nice job. Our forecheck was good and our neutral zone and that’s the stuff that we’ve got to continue to be good at.”
Raanta made 40 saves in a 1-0 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Feb. 17. He has stopped 266 of 284 shots in nine February games (eight starts) for a .937 save percentage and a 6-3 record.
“They didn’t have that many chances in the third period,” said Raanta, who has 10 career shutouts. “If you compare it with last Saturday’s game when we were leading 1-0, it was a little bit more wide-open. Guys were doing a great job in the neutral zone, taking their speedy guys away.”
Tocchet had to press forward Freddie Hamilton into action when Richard Panik missed the game with a lower-body injury. It was Hamilton’s first game since the Coyotes claimed him off waivers on Jan. 4 from Calgary. He had missed 19 games with Arizona and hadn’t played since Dec. 22 against Montreal.
“Fun,” said Hamilton whose parents attended the game. “It’s been a while.”
The Coyotes scored first for the seventh straight game (they have won five of those). Jason Demers did the deed at 5:58 of the first period on an unusually soft goal against Coyotes killer Ryan Miller, who entered the game with an 11-3 career record against the Coyotes, a 1.64 goals against average and a .945 save percentage, his best against any opponent he has faced more than once.
Demers’s shot from the right boards banked off Miller’s blocker and into the upper corner of net.
“I’m all highlight, I’m all ESPN,” Demers quipped. “He looked like he fell down a bit and I luckily got a little tip so I’ll take that all day.”
Max Domi scored into an empty net with 1:01 left in the third period to make it 2-0.
“It’s always good to see a bounce back,” Demers said. “A veteran team does that. Winning teams do that. It’s something that is good for the young kids to learn. I thought the leaders did a good job of getting everybody ready. We had a good practice [Friday]. We knew we had to pick up our game.”
Favorable 20-game stretch
The Coyotes began a run of 20 games on Feb. 12 against the Chicago Blackhawks that offered the opportunity for greater success. Only seven of those games are against teams currently in a playoff position. Here’s a look at those teams with their records and conference standing before Saturday’s games.
Team Record Standing Playoff position
Chicago 27-27-8 12th WCF No
San Jose 33-21-8 5th WCF 2nd Pacific
Montreal 23-29-8 15th ECF No
Edmonton 25-31-4 13th WCF No
Calgary 32-22-9 8th WCF 2nd WCF Wild Card
Anaheim 31-20-11 7th WCF 3rd Pacific
Vancouver 23-31-7 14th WCF No
Minnesota 34-20-7 4th WCF 3rd Central
Ottawa 21-20-10 15th ECF No
Edmonton 25-31-4 13th WCF No
Vancouver 23-31-7 14th WCF No
Colorado 32-24-5 11th WCF No
Vancouver 23-31-7 14th WCF No
L.A. 33-23-5 10th WCF No
Nashville 37-14-9 2nd WCF 1st Central
Minnesota 34-20-7 4th WCF 3rd Central
Calgary 32-22-9 8th WCF 2nd WCF Wild Card
Buffalo 18-32-11 16th ECF No
Carolina 27-24-10 10th ECF No
Florida 27-25-6 11th ECF No
Comments