Coyotes at Senators
The Phoenix Coyotes take their ailing offense into Canada's capital to face the Ottawa Senators on Saturday afternoon. The Coyotes, who mustered three goals during their three-game winless streak, try to end a six-game slide in Ottawa dating back to Dec. 12, 1998. The desert didn't provide a favorable backdrop for Phoenix, which suffered a 4-3 overtime loss to the Senators on Oct. 15.
While the Coyotes lost a 2-1 decision to Toronto on Thursday, Ottawa fell for the third time in four games overall and seventh in 10 home contests (3-6-1) with a 4-2 setback to Florida. Captain Jason Spezza scored his first goal in 13 games and recorded a natural hat trick in his previous outing versus the Coyotes. "We have to find a way to get out of (the slump) ... teams know that we are a reeling team right now and that we're fragile, and if we continue to play fragile, teams are going to take advantage of us," Spezza said.
TV: 2 p.m. ET, FSAZ (Phoenix), RSNE, TVA (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (18-10-6): After being clouded in mystery, general manager Don Maloney revealed that captain Shane Doan is being plagued by Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - a bacterial disease that affects the lining of blood vessels. The team leader with 12 goals, Doan has been sidelined since Dec. 4 and seen the Coyotes post a 2-2-2 mark in his absence. The veteran has no immediate timetable for a return.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (14-17-6): Defenseman Erik Karlsson has scored a goal and set up four others during his four-game point streak, but the team has dropped three of those contests. Ottawa's penalty kill has been spotty at best, yielding at least one power-play goal in six of the last eight contests. Craig Anderson made 31 saves against the Panthers but is just 3-7-0 versus Phoenix while Robin Lehner has yet to face the Coyotes.
OVERTIME
1. Phoenix D Zbynek Michalek aggravated his previous lower-body injury from earlier this season. The team still is assessing the severity of the injury, Maloney said.
2. Ottawa LW Cory Conacher has not scored since netting the overtime winner in the teams' previous meeting.
3. The Coyotes conclude their road trip against Buffalo on Monday.