Opinion
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Coyotes Set to Howl in Canadian Tire Centre Showdown with Senators

As the Arizona Coyotes prepare to face off against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre, fans are eager for a glimpse of what might unfold on the ice. The Coyotes, coming off a string of challenging games, have shown both flashes of brilliance and areas needing improvement.


Dec 19, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Coyotes center Jack McBain (22) celebrates with center Logan Cooley (92) after scoring a goal in the second period against the Ottawa Senators at Mullett Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

In their recent encounter on February 19th against the Edmonton Oilers at Mullett Arena, ARI demonstrated an aggressive offense with 25 shots on goal but fell short defensively, allowing six goals. Despite a powerplay goal and maintaining discipline with only three penalties, their efforts were not enough to secure victory. The Coyotes' goaltending was under siege throughout the game; while they managed 20 saves, five even-strength goals slipped through.


The game prior to that saw ARI in a powerplay-heavy match against the Colorado Avalanche on February 18th. With six opportunities to capitalize with a man advantage and firing off an impressive 30 shots overall, they still found themselves on the losing end. Their faceoff win percentage stood at just 43 percent – an area that has been consistently problematic for them.


Dec 19, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Coyotes center Logan Cooley (92) and Ottawa Senators center Ridly Greig (71) wrestle in the third period at Mullett Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Looking back further to February 17th's clash with Carolina Hurricanes reveals another tough outing for ARI. They took more shots than in any other recent game (31), yet only one found its way past Carolina's goaltender – highlighting inefficiencies in converting chances into goals.


What stands out from these performances is ARI's need for defensive solidity and improved efficiency during powerplays. Their ability to generate shots isn't translating into scoring success often enough – something they'll need to address before facing OTT.


Dec 19, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Ottawa Senators goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (70),center Josh Norris (9) and defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) defend the goal in the third period against the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

The Senators will be no easy opponent; they've shown resilience this season and will look to exploit any weaknesses in ARI's play. However, if there’s one thing hockey fans know about ARI it’s that they can be full of surprises when least expected.


As we approach this matchup between two teams looking to climb up their respective standings, all eyes will be on how well Arizona can adjust from their previous outings. Will they tighten up defensively? Can they improve upon their faceoff performance? These factors could very well dictate whether or not fans will witness a turnaround from recent disappointments or if it’ll be another learning experience for this squad.


The puck drops between Arizona Coyotes and Ottawa Senators is scheduled for March 2nd at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. Fans can catch all the action live nationally via ESPN+ online or locally through SCRIPPS TV starting at an unspecified time due to timezone differences not provided within data context.

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