Coyotes coach: Too many players are just taking up a spot

The Phoenix Coyotes sit four points out of the playoffs after Monday night’s 4-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks.

With 43 points to its name, Phoenix stands at 11th place in the Western Conference. They trail the Dallas Stars and Columbus Blue Jackets who have 45 and 47 points, respectively.

But Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett was not particularly happy with his team’s effort during Monday night’s game, in which his squad was shout out for the seventh time this season.

“We’ve had too many times where we’ve had too many players just get through the game,” he said. “We had players tonight, they just go through, and I think they should be impact players trying to have an impact on the game.

“I bet you after I watch the game there’s not much impact there at all, which is frustrating to me.”

The Coyotes allowed 41 shot attempts in the game, with most of the damage coming in the second period when the Sharks scored three goals on 23 shots.

On the verge of missing post-season play for the first time in four years, Tippett is looking for guys to step in and make a difference with six games left in the regular season.

“We have a lot of players that are trying hard but we need some players to make a positive impact on the game; not just be in a sweater, but actually do something that impacts the game and right now we just don’t have enough of those guys,” he said.

Five of the team’s last six games are scheduled against teams currently slated to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs. To make a run at it, Tippett’s squad will have to step up its play.

“We’ve got too many players that are just taking up a spot right now. We want players that impact the game,” he said.

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