The Arizona Coyotes are looking to sweep the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight.
Game Preview
The Arizona Coyotes continue to have success at Mullett Arena. They have won their last two, including a 6-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.
The Coyotes have been playing much better lately, and it has been paying off. They are taking fewer penalties, scoring 5-on-5, and generating offense on the power play. It may not be helping their chances at drafting first overall, but it is nice to see them avoid stepping on the same rake repeatedly.
The Coyotes got offense from everyone in their last matchup. Established forwards Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller, and Lawson Crouse all had multiple points, while Michael Carcone scored in his first game up from the Tucson Roadrunners. Additionally, defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and J.J. Moser both notched goals, while Juuso Välimäki and Jakob Chychrun both recorded assists.
Despite the strong two games, it is hard to see the Coyotes continuing to keep this up for the rest of the season. The Yotes are on a hot streak right now, but if they aren’t, things can go south quickly.
The Coyotes will be up against another team on a win streak tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto has a 7-2-1 record in their last ten and comes into tonight’s game having won their previous three.
Toronto may have won their last game against the St. Louis Blues 5-4 in overtime, but it came with a pretty hefty price tag. The team was fined $100,000 for traveling on the 26th, while Sheldon Keefe was fined $25,000 for “demeaning conduct directed at the officials.” But it’s not like the Maple Leafs are hurting for money, so I doubt they have any issues with the fines.
The Maple Leafs are a team that the Coyotes do not want to take lightly. They are ninth in the league in goals scored while giving up the second-fewest goals in the league.
Despite the solid defensive play, the Leafs have a surprisingly average penalty kill. They kill 79.6 percent of their penalties, so the Coyotes will want to take advantage of any power plays they get.
It’s going to be hard for the Coyotes to replicate their last win against the Maple Leafs. Toronto knows what to expect tonight, and much of the Coyotes’ success has come from their opponents not taking them seriously.
Players to Watch
Arizona: Jakob Chychrun – Chychrun had a three-assist night, his fourth multi-point game of the season. If Chychrun really wants to go to a contender, he is certainly making a strong case for himself.
Toronto: John Tavares – Tavares had a goal in the Maple Leafs’ last game, giving him points in his previous two games. He played 19 minutes and 36 seconds against the Coyotes the last time they met and registered an assist.
Injuries
Arizona: Matias Maccelli (lower body), Liam O’Brien (upper body), Bryan Little (ear), Andrew Ladd (knee)
Toronto: Morgan Reilly (probable, knee), Carl Dahlstrom (shoulder), Rasmus Sandin (neck), Nicholas Roberson (shoulder), Victor Mete (lower body), Kyle Clifford (shoulder), Jake Muzzin (neck)
Puck Drop
Tonight’s game will be at 7:00 pm Arizona time at Mullett Arena and will air on Bally Sports Arizona and 98.7 FM.