Connor Ingram earning opportunities in Coyotes’ goalie rotation

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram has been “standing tall” of late, saving 64 of 65 shots in a pair of victories this past week against recent Stanley Cup winners in the Vegas Golden Knights and Tampa Bay Lightning.

“Ingram was a brick wall for us in net,” general manager Bill Armstrong told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Thursday. “He loves to play Tampa Bay, we saw that last year with one of the best analytical performances in the history of goaltending ever when we played Tampa Bay and beat them 1-0 (47 saves). He he was remarkable in the game this week for us.”

The Coyotes have rotated Ingram and Karel Vejmelka in net this season with the former playing 12 games to the latter’s 11. Ingram signed a three-year contract extension before the season started and he’s rewarded the organization with an 8-3 record and a .924 save percentage, good for No. 8 in the NHL entering Thursday’s bout with the Colorado Avalanche.

Connor Ingram (@CBIngram1) turns aside 34 for this second career @pepsi shutout! ❌ pic.twitter.com/Zb9C8n4n5k

— NHL (@NHL) November 26, 2023

Head coach Andre Tourigny said this isn’t new, citing Ingram’s performance last season that led to his sticking around.

Ingram closed the year with a 3-2-7 record and a .922 save percentage. He was claimed from the Nashville Predators in October 2022.

“People say he improved a lot, he was pretty good then as well,” Tourigny told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke on Wednesday. “We felt really good, that’s why Bill and management, ownership gave him a three-year contract because we really liked the way he played and we believe in his potential as a goalie. If you look at training camp, it was rock solid. So it’s not for me he does something different than he did last year. He was really good last year and is really good this year. For me, it’s consistency in this case.”

Ingram started the last two games after relieving Vejmelka against the St. Louis Blues last week, and Arizona plans to continue giving him opportunities.

“Sometimes goaltenders get hot at different points of the game and he’s hot right now and we’re gonna roll with him,” Armstrong said. “He’s earned that opportunity. And we’ll see how it goes. You never know, you’re only as good as your last performance and he’s been outstanding. We’ll continue to roll with him and see how it goes and eventually (Vejmelka) will get back in the net and we’ll see what he can do.”

The Coyotes host the Avalanche at Mullett Arena at 7 p.m. on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app. 

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