When you start slow, it’s usually hard to come back in a game. While the Arizona Coyotes have managed quite a few comebacks this season, they experienced yet another loss to a top competitor in the East: the New York Islanders. It was another sloppy game for the Coyotes as they lost 5-1 and dropped their second game in a row. Here are some takeaways from Thursday’s loss.
Carelessness Doesn’t Look Good
It was a sloppy game from top to bottom for the Coyotes. Beginning with the offense, there were turnovers and horrible passes from the start of the game. Multiple breakaways and odd-man rushes were given up which resulted in three different Islanders having multi-point nights. The Coyotes played poorly and failed to generate as many dangerous chances as the Islanders had.
The defense played very similarly to the offense. Juuso Valimaki’s turnover in front of the net led to Anders Lee scoring the dagger in the third period. Michael Kesselring and Troy Stecher also had bad turnovers that helped the Islanders reach five goals on the night. Not to mention, the defensive collapses made Connor Ingram face dangerous situations including a three-man breakaway which the Islanders capitalized on.
Finally, Ingram didn’t have a great night himself. The Islanders’ first goal was a soft shot by Bo Horvat that caught the goaltender off guard. While not every goal was his fault, he wasn’t his usual self which combined with a terrible defense didn’t end well.
The third period was a rough one where the Coyotes allowed three straight goals to put the game out of reach. They know that’s where the team as a whole failed.
“We had momentum going into the third then a mistake, and I think that’s where we lost the game,” Valimaki said. “They scored one and it sucks the energy out of us. Then they score another and it’s a lot tougher to come back when it’s a three-goal game. I think that’s something we gotta think about as a group. The next shifts after goals are important. We have to do a better job on those shifts. We know we can come back and we’ve done it before. Today we weren’t good enough.”
The Coyotes can’t dig themselves in a hole every game and expect to always come back. Allowing multiple goals in under five minutes doesn’t help either. It’s an aspect of their game that the team has to look at and change if they want to keep contending for a playoff spot.
Clayton Keller’s Moment Ruined
The night started with smiles and feelings of pride as Clayton Keller was named to the NHL All-Star Game. It marked the fourth time he had been named which is the most in Coyotes’ history. Keller got a video tribute and a standing ovation as well that was quickly spoiled by the Coyotes’ horrible play.
Keller was happy to be once again named as an All-Star and while the 25-year-old is now one of the longest-tenured players on the team, he still feels like there’s always more to learn as his Coyotes continue to grow.
“You learn so much every year in this league,” Keller said. “Some years, things go differently. That’s when you learn the most. It happens when things aren’t going your way, and you have to dig deep and that’s why I love this game so much. The challenges, the setbacks, and the adversity. That’s what makes you a better player, and a better person, and teaches you how to win. We’re going through that right now. It’s a new day tomorrow, and we’re going to hit the rink in a couple of days.”
Keller currently leads the team in points with 31 in 36 games. He’s played the past eight seasons with the Coyotes. The only other Coyote close to that is Lawson Crouse who has also played with the team for the past eight years.
Rough Road Ahead
Looking ahead at the Coyotes’ schedule, it doesn’t get easier. It gets harder. They take on the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday who are in second place in the Central Division and one point back of the Colorado Avalanche for first place. They then host the Boston Bruins who are currently in first place in the whole league.
While the Calgary Flames are the opponent after the Bruins, the Coyotes start a road trip where they’ll face the Vancouver Canucks (first in the Pacific Division) and the Minnesota Wild (who are desperately trying to get back in the playoff hunt). The Coyotes haven’t been fantastic on the road with a record of 7-9-2.
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Head coach Andre Tourigny doesn’t look ahead that far. Instead, he’s looking at it game by game, planning out how the Coyotes can get back on track after a terrible start to 2024.
“We’ll look at the game but I don’t see it as the next three games,” Tourigny said. “It’s one game at a time. Tomorrow, we’ll have a good day off. Then we’ll have a good practice on the sixth and we’ll be ready for Sunday.”
The Coyotes are currently in the wild-card mix. The Edmonton Oilers have caught up to them and are just one point back with a game in hand. The Nashville Predators hold the first wild-card spot. The Coyotes have two games in hand but the Predators have three more points than them. Not to mention the Seattle Kraken are one point back of the Coyotes’ spot and three other teams are knocking on the door as well.
If the Coyotes want to keep up in the playoff race, they need to end their losing slump. It’ll be hard considering they play some of the best teams in the league in the next couple of weeks. It’s a tough test ahead for the young Coyotes.
