Tippett: Concerned about quality shots, not quantity
May 14, 2012, 9:34 PM | Updated: 10:45 pm
It’s been a consistent theme of the 2012 Stanley Cup
Playoffs for the Phoenix Coyotes: they get out-shot on a
regular basis.
Look at the facts…
• The Coyotes have been out-shot 451-326 in 12 playoff
games.
• Phoenix has been out-shot in ten of those games.
• That’s an average of 10.4 per contest.
• On five occasions, the Coyotes have given up more than
40 shots on goal to a postseason opponent.
Of course, another consistent theme in the playoffs has
been the outstanding play of Phoenix goalie Mike Smith,
who has stopped 94.6% of the shots he’s faced. If not for
Smith’s performance, this Coyotes season would be long
forgotten about.
So after a game in which the Los Angeles Kings out-shot
his team 48-27, you’d expect head coach Dave Tippett to be
concerned.
He is, but not about the sheer numbers, of which he doubts
the validity.
“I went through every single shot, every attempt,” Tippett
said Monday. “I would question some of the numbers, some
of the attempts at the net, but I’m not going to get into
stats, guys. That’s not what I want to do.
“I look at the quality that we gave up last night and we
gave up far more quality opportunities. The quantity I
can deal with sometimes, but we gave up far too many
quality last night.”
Tippett also said opponents’ shots on goal figures are
inflated because of the fact that the Coyotes played five
overtime games in their first round series victory over
the Chicago Blackhawks.
Phoenix is allowing an average of 37.6 shots on goal per
game, far and away the most of any team in the postseason.
