GM Maloney hopes team can fix flaws in time for Game 3
Apr 18, 2011, 5:02 PM | Updated: 8:15 pm
Not a lot has gone right for the Phoenix Coyotes in their first two playoff games in Detroit against the Red Wings.
But with the series shifting to their home ice for Monday night’s Game 3, Coyotes’ General Manager Don Maloney joined Sports 620 KTAR’s Doug and Wolf Monday morning to discuss what his team needs to improve on. And in Maloney’s eyes, much of the Coyotes’ woes through the first two games center around the lack of stopping, or at least slowing, the Red Wings’ red-hot center Pavel Datsyuk.
“(Datsyuk’s) a terrific player,” Maloney said. “But in every sport you can’t let the best in the game (have) time and space; they’ll hurt you every time. Let somebody else beat us; let’s not let him beat us.”
Unfortunately for the Coyotes, Datsyuk has had all the time and space he’s needed, killing the Coyotes with two goals and three assists helping the Wings stroll out to a 2-0 series lead.
Beyond Datsyuk though, Maloney believes the team has to take a long look at itself and play above their expectations.
“Our team is all about the pack, the group, the 20 guys playing,” Maloney said. “And right now if you ask me who is playing just (at) expectations, I think 5 of the 20 guys (are just meeting that level).
