Mike Smith shines in return to Coyotes
Mar 12, 2016, 11:42 PM | Updated: Mar 13, 2016, 8:06 am
Arizona Coyotes' goalie Mike Smith (41) makes a save on Edmonton Oilers' Leon Draisaitl (29) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, March 12, 2016. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
(Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
If there were any questions that Mike Smith would be a little rusty Saturday in his return to the net against the Edmonton Oilers, he quickly answered them.
The Arizona Coyotes’ goalie stopped all 44 shots on goal by the Oilers to record his 29th career shutout in the Coyotes 4-0 win.
Smith has been out since December following surgery for a muscle core injury, but on Saturday he looked like the Smitty of old.
The only concern for Smith came late in the second period when Oilers’ forward Adam Cracknell crashed into him. Smith was able to shake off the hit and continued to stop the next 17 shots he faced in the third period.
Smith has missed the last 40 games for the Coyotes and in his place Louis Domingue has filled in nicely. Domingue went 14-15-5 with a .912 save percentage while recording two shutouts in Smith’s absence.
Domingue, a fifth round selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, was named the NHL’s rookie of the month for January after going 6-3-2 with a 2.20 goals against average and a .925 save percentage.
“He (Domingue) has certainly moved his career forward by leaps and bounds with the way he has played for us,” Coyotes general manager Don Maloney told Arizona Sports’ Craig Morgan in February. “It’s still a relatively short body of work but there’s no denying the success he has had. He’s opened all of our eyes and he kind of fits in with what we’re trying to do here with younger people.”
Prior to the injury, the 33-year-old Smith had a .901 save percentage through 22 starts this season and had a 10-9-1 record with one shutout.
Originally a fifth round selection by the Dallas Stars in the 2001 draft, Smith signed as a free agent with the then Phoenix Coyotes in 2011. He played a pivotal role in the Coyotes run to the Western Conference Finals in 2012, allowing just 1.99 goals per game during the playoff run.
