Coyotes at Red Wings
THE STORY: The Phoenix Coyotes acquitted themselves well against the Detroit Red Wings in the regular season a year ago. Come the playoffs, it was a different story. After the teams split four meetings during the regular season, the Red Wings turned it up a notch in the first-round postseason series and swept the Coyotes in four games. Phoenix was unable to contain Detroit's potent attack, allowing 18 goals in the series and at least four goals in each game. Slowing down the Red Wings will be priority No. 1 when the Coyotes visit Detroit on Thursday night. Phoenix could be catching the Red Wings at the right time. Detroit has dropped two straight games following a seven-game winning streak and has managed only two goals in each loss. The Coyotes have won two straight and have a Western Conference-best nine road wins. The Red Wings counter with the best home record (10-2-1) in the West.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSAZ, FSD
ABOUT THE COYOTES (15-9-3): Phoenix will conclude a three-game, four-day road trip after posting one-goal wins at Chicago and Nashville. Keith Yandle's goal with 1:45 to play lifted the Coyotes to a 3-2 win over the Predators on Tuesday. The Coyotes also got a got from Ray Whitney, who needs one assist to reach 600 for his career. Phoenix could use a major overhaul of its power play, which has produced only one goal in the last 37 chances.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (16-9-1): Detroit allowed eight power-play chances to St. Louis, which converted two of them in Tuesday's 3-2 loss. G Jimmy Howard had his seven-game winning streak snapped. The Red Wings scored twice with the man advantage, including one by Johan Franzen, who has a league-best eight power-play tallies, including one in each of the last three games. Jiri Hudler ended a 20-game goalless drought. Valtteri Filppula’s status (lacerated shin) for the game is unclear.
OVERTIME:
1. Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk has tormented Phoenix in his career with 13 goals and 36 assists in 34 games.
2. Phoenix has scored a league-worst nine goals with the man advantage.