The Arizona Coyotes look to build off a solid stretch when they host the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
The Coyotes are 2-0-1 in their past three games, outscoring their opponents 14-7 while pumping 103 shots on goal during that stretch. This comes after allowing 11 goals in consecutive losses to the Los Angeles Kings.
“I think we’re playing really good hockey,” forward Lawson Crouse said after a 3-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. “Five-on-five, we’re a tough team to play against. We create a lot of offense, we’re defending very well and on special teams, our power play has been clicking.
“We could probably have a few more points in the standings than we do right now. We’ve felt that we’ve let teams off the hook, especially in the last week and that was a big focus (against the Canadiens).”
Arizona entered Friday’s games ranked 10th in the NHL with 33 goals scored. Of those tallies, 21 were scored at five-on-five, which ranked ninth in the league. They’ve also been among the top 10 in keeping the puck out of their own net, averaging 2.70 goals-against per game, ninth in the NHL.
Logan Cooley, the No. 3 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, has enjoyed a solid start to his rookie campaign. The 19-year-old has eight points (one goal, seven assists) through the first 10 games, including points in three straight.
“He’s stepped up and made a difference for us,” forward Nick Schmaltz said. “Night in and night out (in the NHL), it’s not easy to step in from a college schedule and play an NHL schedule; it’s hard. He’s playing really well.”
The Jets, meanwhile, are looking to snap a three-game skid. They’re 0-1-2 following a 5-2 setback against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.
Special teams have been an issue for Winnipeg through the first 10 games. The power play is running at a woeful 12.8 percent clip and has scored just once on its past 18 opportunities. At the other end of the ice, the penalty kill ranks 30th in the NHL with a 69.4 percent efficiency and has allowed five goals against on nine opportunities. Opponents have scored at least one power-play goal against the Jets in all but one game.
Against Vegas, with the game tied 1-1 in the second period, they allowed two goals on a double minor.
“For us to give up two goals like we did, line changes and giving up odd-man rushes … we didn’t have to give up on those two goals,” associate coach Scott Arniel said after the game. “Those are on us. Those types of things you can control, they’re in your own grasp to handle and we’ve got to be better at that.”
Forward Cole Perfetti has just one goal but has six assists to go with his tally. The 21-year-old has points in consecutive games and five points, all assists, in four of his past five outings. He has yet to go more than a game without a point.
–Field Level Media
