Can the Coyotes' Home Ice Advantage Tilt the Scales Against Predators?
The Arizona Coyotes emerged victorious with a 3-2 score against the Nashville Predators. The Coyotes now stand at 3 points, while the Predators are left with 2 points from this encounter.
In a closely contested match at Mullett Arena, the Arizona Coyotes showcased their resilience and tactical acumen to secure a win over their rivals, the Nashville Predators. The home team's performance was underpinned by an impressive display of goaltending and effective even-strength play.
The Coyotes took an early lead in the first period, setting a tone for what would be a gritty battle on ice. Their offensive efforts were rewarded with three goals on 24 shots, translating to an efficient shooting percentage of twelve percent. The team's ability to convert opportunities into goals proved crucial in this tightly fought game.
Defensively, Arizona stood strong against Nashville's advances. The goaltender for the Coyotes was particularly outstanding, saving thirty out of thirty-two shots faced throughout the game. This remarkable ninety-four percent save rate provided a solid backbone for Arizona's defensive strategy.
On special teams play, although not as dominant as during even strength situations, they managed to keep their net untouched during powerplays despite not capitalizing on their own man-advantage opportunities.
The Predators did manage to put up significant resistance; they scored two goals from thirty-two shots and were successful in one out of six powerplay chances. However, they struggled in faceoffs with only forty-seven percent wins compared to fifty-three percent by the home team which gave Arizona better control over puck possession throughout various phases of play.
Arizona also demonstrated superior physicality with twenty-nine hits compared to Nashville’s twenty-six and blocked more attempts at goal which further frustrated their opponents' scoring efforts.
Looking ahead after this hard-fought victory at home soil before an almost full house crowd of four thousand six hundred fans cheering them on; fans can catch future action when Arizona faces off against Pittsburgh Penguins at Mullett Arena once again. This upcoming game is scheduled for January 23rd at 7:00 PM local time (9:00 PM EST) and will be broadcasted nationally on ESPN+ as well as locally via SCRIPPS and SportsNet PT channel six hundred fifty-nine for away supporters.