Despite having the lead twice in a high-scoring game, the Arizona Coyotes lost 6-5 against the St Louis Blues on Wednesday night which now puts them at 8-9-2 on the season. It was a game where we saw four goaltenders play and yet what was once the Coyotes’ strength doomed them. Here are some takeaways from the game.
Coyotes Love Turning Over the Puck
If you took a shot every time the Coyotes turned over the puck in this game, you’d be pretty drunk. It felt like at any point where the team was getting momentum, they would give the Blues a breakaway and they’d capitalize on the opportunity. It wasn’t just one player either, it was the whole team who managed to give the Blues six goals.
“When there’s one breakdown, we gotta be there for each other,” Matt Dumba said. “We can’t follow up a mistake with a mistake. We gotta be dialed in and be able to communicate with each other and be able to sort those out. It’s tough. I know this locker room, I know the character and we want it. So it’s frustrating when you come out on the other side, and there’s nothing to show for it by giving up another two points.”
The team also started taking careless penalties toward the end of the game giving the Blues a five-on-three chance at one point. It was defensive mistake after defensive mistake the whole game. It showed as Karel Vejmelka was chased from the net early on.
This isn’t the first time the Coyotes have allowed an absurd amount of goals this season as well. Head coach Andre Tourigny knows it’s a mistake that won’t give them wins, only more losses.
“It was a poor and defensive effort, a bunch of bad decisions,” Tourigny said. “When you score five goals, it should be an easy win. It’s not the first time this has happened. It’s really disappointing.”
The power play once again didn’t do much besides allow two shorthanded goals against. It’s another key component the team needs to fix as they head into their next matchup.
The Troy Stecher-Josh Brown Pairing Was Abysmal
While it was a complete team breakdown that led to the loss, the bottom defensive pairing of Josh Brown and Troy Stecher was on the ice for most of the turnovers. Brown wasn’t fast enough to catch up to most of the Blues who ended up scoring goals on the breakaway. He was one of the many Coyotes that ended the night with a minus-1 but it felt like the tally should’ve been more.
“I feel like we could be a lot better and have a better record but if we let that many goals in and we give out too many scoring chances like we did tonight that’s not going to help our cause,” Nick Bjugstad said.
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It wouldn’t be surprising if Tourigny decides to shake up his pairings. Michael Kesselring had a great night, ending as a plus-2. Whatever he does, it’s clear that the Stecher-Brown pairing isn’t doing the team any favors. It showed last night with the unacceptable amount of turnovers caused by the duo.
There’s Some Light in the Darkness
It’s not all bad for the Coyotes. There are some factors that really showed that the team can be better. For starters, the second line was incredible. Matias Maccelli, Lawson Crouse, and Bjugstad all ended the night with points. Between the three of them, they cashed in five points. Maccelli and Crouse were the only forwards that ended their nights with a positive plus/minus stat line. Every time they were on the ice, it seemed they were generating opportunities and it didn’t go unnoticed.
“I think, bogeys (Bjugstad’s) line has been rock solid for a long time now,” Tourigny said. “I think they played the game the right way and they got rewarded.”
Connor Ingram looked decent when he came in to relieve Vejmelka in the second period. Although he gave up some goals, they arguably weren’t his fault. It’ll be interesting to see who Tourigny puts in net on Saturday. Ingram has had the stronger numbers and game but the Coyotes’ coach has been rotating the two goalies all season long. We’ll see if the trend continues.
Finally, the Coyotes have three days off before they head to Las Vegas to play the Golden Knights. The team knows they need to take this time and reflect on their now three-game losing streak.
“It’s disappointing for myself and I think everyone in the room here tonight,” Bjugstad said. “We’re gonna have to regroup and take a couple of days off here but this one hurts.”
The schedule doesn’t get any easier. The Coyotes will face the Golden Knights, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, and the Blues once again all within the next 10 days. Tourigny has coached teams that have won against all of them in the past but knows his team needs to get it together before stressing over the talent those teams have.
“Before worrying about our opponent, we need to do our job,” Tourigny said. “That’s period. Vegas, Colorado, and Tampa. We beat them in the past and we didn’t have the character with the talent we have right now. Instead, we played our best hockey. Don’t worry about the opponent, worry about us.”
The now under .500 Coyotes will face the Golden Knights on Saturday evening with hopes of stopping their three-game losing skid. The team will return to Mullett Arena on Tuesday to face the Lightning.
