Coyotes at Blues
The Phoenix Coyotes are holding out hope that they can make a push toward the playoffs in the final handful of games in the regular season. The St. Louis Blues, who host the Coyotes on Thursday, are trying to lock up their own spot in the top eight of the Western Conference. The Blues are sitting in the No. 7 spot, one point behind the Minnesota Wild. Phoenix, which resides in 11th place, has not helped itself by going 1-2-1 over the last four games.
The Coyotes will likely decide their fate on a three-game road trip that takes them through St. Louis, first-place Chicago and Detroit over the next five days. Phoenix will play five playoff contenders in total over its last six games. The Coyotes will be trying to break through against St. Louis goaltender Brian Elliott, who has a 1.03 goals-against average in seven games this month. Elliott’s hot streak has helped mask some offensive struggles by the Blues.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Arizona-plus (Phoenix), Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (18-17-7): Phoenix missed a chance to gain some ground at the expense of a playoff team in Monday's 4-0 home loss to the San Jose Sharks. The Coyotes are also dealing with a lower-body injury to top goaltender Mike Smith that kept him out of the loss to the Sharks. Smith had allowed a total of six goals in his last five appearances and is day-to-day. Jason LaBarbera got the start against San Jose and made 37 saves, but the offense could not break through. “We don’t have enough players impacting the outcome of the game in a positive way,” Phoenix coach Dave Tippett told reporters. “We’ve got too many players that are just taking up a spot right now.”
ABOUT THE BLUES (24-16-2): St. Louis has totaled six goals in regulation over the last six games but has gone 4-2-0 in that span thanks to the effort of Elliott and the blue line. The Blues have gone 21-for-22 on the penalty kill in April to help make up for an anemic 1-for-22 on the power play. Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester gave the offense a little jolt with the tying goal midway through the third period and St. Louis ended up taking out Vancouver 2-1 in a shootout on Tuesday to give coach Ken Hitchcock his 600th career victory. The Blues have an easier road the rest of the way with all but the season finale against teams outside the top eight in the West. Five of the final six are on home ice as well.
OVERTIME
1. St. Louis has taken each of the previous two meetings with Phoenix, outscoring the Coyotes by a 9-3 margin.
2. Blues RW Chris Stewart has just one goal in his last 12 contests.
3. Phoenix C Lauri Korpikoski, who has not played since March 25 with an upper body injury, returned to practice on Wednesday.