Rieder, Domingue propel Coyotes to season’s midpoint with win over Predators

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Coyotes entered the 2015-16 season determined to infuse some youth into their lineup. It was fitting then that a pair of kids pushed them past the mid-point of the season with an impressive 4-0 win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday at Gila River Arena.

Forward Tobias Rieder broke a 10-game scoring drought with a pair of goals and an assist, and goaltender Louis Domingue lengthened his increasingly impressive resume with a 26-save shutout to solidify the Coyotes’ hold on second place in the Pacific Division 41 games into the season.

“It was one of those games where the puck is just following you around,” said Rieder, who had a game-high seven shots. “I was lucky to get two goals.”

The shutout was Domingue’s second of the season. In eight starts this season, the rookie has stopped 250 of 264 shots for a .947 save percentage, giving the Coyotes a much-needed boost in injured goalie Mike Smith’s absence. The Coyotes are 6-0-2 in those games.

“I was a little concerned about where we were fatigue-wise, getting in real, real late, but we pushed through and that’s a big two points,” said coach Dave Tippett, whose team went 2-0-1 on a three-game road trip through western Canada this week. “The last two weeks is probably the best we’ve played all year which is a good sign.”

With the win, the Coyotes (46 points) opened a four-point lead over Vancouver for second place in the division. The Coyotes play six more games at home before they head back out on the road, affording Arizona a chance to open a much bigger cushion in the playoff chase.

“It’s a major part of our season and we put ourselves in good position,” Tippett said. “You could look at it almost as a playoff series. If we do well in this series it should propel us to the start of the second half (post-All-Star Game).”

With the win, Domingue became the first rookie goalie in Coyotes history to win three consecutive games, but Domingue insists he is blissfully unaware of whatever marks he is setting.

“I’m not thinking about the results too much,” he said. “I’m just going out there and playing confident and giving the team a chance to win every night. I’m not thinking too far ahead or behind.”

This weekend, the Coyotes can examine the present and take a small dose of pride in the fact that they have achieved far more than any outsiders ever thought they would at the halfway point of the season.

“We needed our young players to play well and get up and going and we needed our veteran players to be key contributors but that middle group has got to be the drivers,” Tippett said. “Right now, that’s what you’re seeing.”

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