Strong special teams effort not enough as Arizona Coyotes fall to Predators in shootout: By the Numbers
Oct 22, 2014, 3:35 AM | Updated: 4:51 am
The Arizona Coyotes headed out on the road in search of better play and to establish an identity.
Four home games culminated in a mixed bag of results. A pair of wins, a pair of losses and a lot of unhappiness surrounding the team.
The Coyotes managed to get a point out of Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators, but ultimately fell in a shootout 4-3.
Arizona appeared to fix some of the mistakes that plagued the team in the season’s first two weeks; however other mistakes arose in Nashville. Spotty defense and goaltending cost them a second point.
There were plenty of positives, as well, specifically strong special teams play. Arizona excelled on both the power play and penalty kill Tuesday night.
The Coyotes remain at .500 (2-2-1) as they hope to build upon their successes in Nashville when they head to Minnesota on Thursday.
Here’s a look at Tuesday’s game by the numbers:
1st
The Coyotes scored first for the first time this season when Rob Klinkhammer potted a two-on-one goal 3:21 into the game.
2
The Coyotes put in two power play goals Tuesday. Special teams really led the way for Arizona in its first road game of the season.
3
Former Coyote Mike Ribeiro came back to haunt his ex-teammates, scoring his third goal of the season and Nashville’s only marker of the first period. Ribeiro was bought out by the Coyotes in the offseason after one year in Sedona Red. The veteran center also assisted on Nashville’s third goal.
5-5
The Coyotes were a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill against the Predators — a marked improvement after going 0-for-4 against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.
7
Seven different Coyotes recorded a point in Tuesday’s game. Martin Erat, David Moss, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Kyle Chipchura, Rob Klinkhammer, Antoine Vermette and Keith Yandle, the latter of whom recorded two points.
10
Ribeiro’s goal was the 10th first-period goal allowed by the Coyotes in the season’s first five games, most in the NHL.
14:18
Nashville went nearly 15 minutes without a shot on goal from late in the third period to halfway through overtime. The Predators survived, however, and bested the ‘Yotes 2-1 in the shootout, giving the home club its fourth win of the year.
21
Number of seconds between the Coyotes taking a lead in the third period and giving that lead back up — eventually leading to overtime and an unsuccessful shootout.
23
Devan Dubnyk saved 23 shots in his second start as a Coyote. Dubnyk is 1-0-1 in his two starts with the team, posting a 2.31 goals against average and a .904 save percentage.
