Coyotes' Powerplay Prowess: Can It Overcome Predators' Defense?
The Arizona Coyotes, with a record of 23-30-8, faced off against the Nashville Predators who held a 31-23-4 record. The clash at Bridgestone Arena ended with a score of 5-4 in favor of the home team.
In an intense matchup that saw both teams exchange leads, the Coyotes demonstrated resilience and offensive skill. The team's powerplay unit capitalized on two out of four opportunities to keep them in contention throughout the game. These crucial goals were part of the twelve points earned by Arizona, which included four goals and eight assists overall.
Arizona's goaltender had an impressive night despite the loss, saving 32 shots and maintaining a perfect save percentage during powerplays. However, it was at even strength where most goals slipped through – three out of five allowed by their netminder came during this phase.
The Coyotes showed tenacity in faceoffs but ultimately won only 47 percent across all situations. Their defensive efforts were highlighted by blocking 27 shots from Nashville and delivering 23 hits to disrupt their opponents' flow.
Despite these efforts, turnovers proved costly for Arizona as they gave away possession five times compared to Nashville's thirteen giveaways. This discrepancy did not translate into a significant advantage for the Coyotes as they struggled to convert takeaways into scoring opportunities.
On special teams, aside from their powerplay success, Arizona managed to keep Nashville scoreless during shorthanded situations thanks to five saves from their goaltender. However, they could not capitalize on these moments themselves as they did not register any shorthanded goals.
Looking ahead for fans of the Arizona Coyotes is another challenging encounter as they prepare to visit Wells Fargo Center on February 13th against Philadelphia Flyers. This upcoming game will be available for viewing nationally on ESPN+ via internet streaming or locally through NBCS-PH and SCRIPPS TV networks starting at midnight Eastern Time (ET).