• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Arizona Coyotes

Injuries Fail to Halt Coyotes

By Mark Brown November 5th, 2016

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

It’s troubling enough to experience a challenging start to the season. It’s quite another to have key injuries pile on top of a tough beginning.

Nearly three weeks into the NHL season, that’s the dilemma facing the Arizona Coyotes. In concert with dropping six of their first nine games to open the campaign, the Coyotes were hit with a plethora of key injuries.

(Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports)

Martin Hanzal (Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports)

That’s not even considering reliable defenseman Michael Stone, out since last March with a torn ACL. The latest casualties include center Martin Hanzal and winger Tobias Rieder, who both went down this past Tuesday night and neither dressed for Thursday’s game. In addition to losing goalie Mike Smith with an injured knee, the expectation was that the Coyotes would elevate their collective game.

The result on Thursday night was an uneven experience, but the Coyotes will gladly accept the results. Powered by shootout goals from Anthony Duclair and Radim Vrbata, the Coyotes defeated the visiting Nashville Predators 3-2 before 10,745 fans at Gila River Arena. The win marked the first time this season that the team recorded back-to-back victories and did so because of stellar play from Louis Domingue, the Arizona goalie.

“We know we’re a good team,” Duclair told The Hockey Writers. “Maybe we were trying too hard, but once we stick to our game, we’ll be okay.”

With Hanzal and Rieder scratched, the Coyotes recalled Christian Dvorak from AHL Tucson, and the rookie made his presence known immediately.

Louis Domingue

Louis Domingue (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

Dvorak Makes an Immediate Contribution

Taking a pass at the blue line from Alex Goligoski, Dvorak smartly flipped a back-hander past Pekka Rinne at 9:17 of the opening frame and Arizona took a 1-0 advantage. At that point, it appeared the Coyotes could compensate for the injured players, but eventually fell behind 2-1. Only when Duclair flipped in the puck from the edge of the crease at 5:48 of the final period did the Coyotes experience an extra burst of energy, and eventually sent this one to a shootout.

After Dvorak made the final, 23-man roster, the native of Palos, Ill. managed to pick up one assist on opening night and recorded only two assists in his next six games. Sent to AHL Tucson on Oct. 31, Dvorak was recalled once team officials decided Hanzal could not play. In addition to his marker which put the Coyotes on the board, Dvorak assisted on Duclair’s game-tying goal.

“I’m just happy to contribute,” he said afterward. “After I was sent down, I think I had something to prove.”

Dvorak started the game as the Coyotes’ fourth line center between Lawson Crouse on the left wing and Ryan White on the right side. By the start of the second period, coach Dave Tippett moved Dvorak onto the same line as Duclair and placed Dylan Strome between Jamie McGinn and Vrbata.

“I was looking for some energy,” Tippett acknowledged. “(Duclair and Dvorak) were on a line against the Islanders (on Oct. 21), and worked well together. Could happen again, we’ll see.”

For now, the Coyotes hope the play of Duclair, who picked up his first goal of the season in game 10, and Dvorak’s energy will provide the kind of spark that will truly make the Coyotes competitive in a highly competitive Western Conference.

Some NHL History

Scoring in the shootout, Radim Vrbata tied the Red Wings’ Frans Nielson for the most shootout goals in NHL history. Vrbata is now 42-for-97 in shootout goals, and that’s a 43.3 percentage. He is ranked 12th all-time in shooting percentage with players who have taken 40 shots or more in their career.

Radim Vrbata (Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports)

Radim Vrbata (Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports)

Vrbata also holds the NHL record for the most shootout attempts in a season with 18 tries.

In the shootout Thursday against Rinne, Vrbata put in a backhander and that was after Duclair put his attempt behind Rinne. When Domingue stopped Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen in the shootout, the Coyotes tucked away their fourth win in 10 games.

 

  • Tags
  • Christian Dvorak
  • Dylan Strome
  • Jamie McGinn
  • Radim Vrbata
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 18th 5:55 PM
Other Leagues

Ducks Will Benefit From Gulls’ Temporary Relocation to Irvine

Jan 18th 5:45 PM
Minnesota Wild

Wild Weekly: A Pair Of Comeback Wins Against The Kings

Jan 18th 5:10 PM
Column

Canucks News & Rumors: Edler, Hughes, Miller, Benn & Höglander

Jan 18th 4:35 PM
St Louis Blues

Blues Need Hoffman on Top Power Play Unit

Jan 18th 3:55 PM
Other Leagues

Windsor Spitfires’ 2010 Grubauer Trade Cemented OHL Dynasty

Jan 18th 3:45 PM
Archives

The Strangest Superstitions in NHL History

Jan 18th 3:35 PM
Florida Panthers

Newest Panthers Make Their Mark in the Season Opener

Jan 18th 3:25 PM
Montreal Canadiens

Prospects News & Rumors: Robertson, Caufield, Clarke & Harrison

Jan 18th 3:10 PM
Edmonton Oilers

Oilers News & Rumors: Yamamoto, Kahun, Bear, Goalie News, More

Jan 18th 3:00 PM
Column

Flyers Who’s Hot & Who’s Not: Konecny, Hart, Voracek & More

Editor’s Picks
World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information