ARIZONA COYOTES

Coyotes’ Duclair still searching for more complete game

Nov 3, 2017, 6:25 PM | Updated: Nov 4, 2017, 8:29 am

GLENDALE, Ariz. — One play in Thursday’s 5-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres at Gila River Arena highlighted the reasons for Anthony Duclair’s two-game absence from the lineup.

With the Coyotes trailing 2-1 late in the second period, Duclair tried to put a move on Buffalo defenseman Jake McCabe at the left circle in the Sabers’ zone to get to the net for a scoring chance. On face value, the play made sense. His team needed a goal and he was trying to use his skill and speed to get around McCabe for a scoring chance.

A deeper look at the play showed the problem with Duclair’s decision.

McCabe stripped Duclair of the puck while Coyotes defensemen Alex Goligoski and Luke Schenn were tired from a long shift and heading for a change. Jason Demers managed to replace Schenn and get to the left side to stop the puck carrier, Sam Reinhart. But by the time Oliver Ekman-Larsson could get on the ice to replace Goligoski, who took too much time getting to the bench, Reinhart had passed to Seth Griffith, springing Griffith on a breakaway.

There were no backcheckers because Jordan Martinook had fallen while trying to reverse course after Duclair’s turnover. Martinook collided with Duclair, taking both players out of the play and center Brad Richardson was too deep in the zone to recover.

In simple terms, this was a case of situational awareness. Duclair made the wrong decision because his defense needed more time for a change.

“I’d prefer him to go wide,” coach Rick Tocchet said after the game. “We had two defensemen that had been out there for a minute. It’s probably not the right time to try to play to the middle when you don’t have any speed.”

To single out Duclair’s mistake would be unfair after what Tocchet called “a comedy of errors” in the second period that resulted in numerous turnovers and numerous odd-man rushes for the Sabres. There were plenty of other offenders.

“There are about four or five individuals that have to understand what it takes to win,” Tocchet said. “We have some guys in here that have to be able to play when the heat is on and make the right decision. You can’t go off the grid because it gets hard.”

Even so, the play serves as an explanation for Duclair’s two games as a healthy scratch despite favorable underlying numbers, including the sixth-best Corsi For percentage (52) on the team and favorable defensive metrics.

“You’ve got to earn your ice time,” Duclair said. “You’ve got to earn the trust of your team and your coaches. They do have high expectations for me so for myself, when you don’t reach those expectations, consequences are going to come.”

Those consequences could include a return to the press box on Saturday when the Coyotes host the Carolina Hurricanes.

Better situational awareness is just one of the areas the coaching staff has highlighted for Duclair. Since the offseason, they have asked him to work on using his speed to create chances and to use his lower-body strength in the corners to generate zone time, puck possession and more chances.

“Battling down low, puck protection, just moving my feet in the corners and I think offensively, I can get more opportunities using my speed,” said Duclair, who has three goals and five points in 12 games. “I feel better than last year. It was huge for me to get off to a better start but I still think I can do more. I think everyone can do more. When the team is struggling you’ve got to look individually at what you can do to help the team win. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Tocchet insists Duclair has been a willing pupil.

“He has a good attitude, which I like,” Tocchet said.

But Duclair knows willingness and work ethic won’t be enough. Execution and proper decision-making must accompany those attributes.

“It’s a little different playing Rick’s style, but at the same time I kind of like it,” he said. “That’s how the top players play every night and that’s how they get opportunities. I haven’t been coached that way since I was young so it’s nice to see a different side of it.

“I’m just trying to learn as much as possible from Toc. He’s coached at the highest level skill guys in the league, so it’s awesome learning from him.”

Hurricanes at Coyotes
When: 6 p.m., Saturday
Where: Gila River Arena, Glendale
TV: FOX Sports Arizona
Radio: ESPN 620 AM
Records: Coyotes — 1-12-1. Hurricanes — 4-5-2
Injury report: Coyotes — D Jakob Chychrun (knee) is out indefinitely. D Niklas Hjalmarsson (upper body) is day-to-day. Hurricanes — D Brett Pesce (concussion) did not make the trip. F Lee Stempniak (back) is on IR.

Hurricanes scouting report: Carolina has lost three straight games (0-2-1) and five of the last six (0-5-1). … F Jeff Skinner leads the team with seven goals and is tied with F Justin Williams for the team lead in points with nine. … Former Coyotes D Klas Dahlbeck has appeared in just three games.

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