Inside the Box: Coyotes waste golden opportunity
Apr 14, 2011, 12:51 AM | Updated: 3:03 am
After every Phoenix Coyotes game we’ll examine the
box score and provide you with instant analysis. So it’s
time to go Inside the Box for April 13, 2011: Coyotes 2, Red Wings 4
PHOENIX – The Phoenix Coyotes dropped Game 1 to the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 wasting a golden opportunity in the process.
The stage seemed to be set for a Coyotes victory and statement win.
Detroit was without its star player Henrik Zetterberg.
The Coyotes got an early goal right out of the gate and Detroit took four penalties in the first period giving Phoenix a chance to build a sizable lead.
The Coyotes even had a 5-on-3 advantage in the first period, but after the Red Wings were able to kill that penalty, the momentum swung in Detroit’s favor the rest of the night.
The Wings got their act in gear in the second period scoring three straight goals and never looked back.
The Coyotes inability to score on the power play (0-for-6) did them in, but even more glaring was the play of star goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.
Bryzgalov has to shine in this series for Phoenix to even have a chance and already in Game 1 he was badly outplayed by Wings’ goalie Jimmy Howard.
Howard gave his team a chance to stay in the game by making key saves in the first period and Bryzgalov gave up some questionable goals in the second period allowing Detroit to pull away.
It was only one game, but considering the Coyotes blew a golden chance to get an early lead in the series, one has to wonder if this loss will have a devastating effect on the team.
