Coyotes at Jets
Skating shorthanded is something both teams have spent plenty of time doing this season, so the power-play units should be salivating as the Arizona Coyotes wrap up a four-game road trip Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets. Winnipeg led the NHL in times shorthanded (82) while Arizona ranked third (73) entering Friday's games.
“That’s an area we’ve got to correct,” Arizona coach Dave Tippett told reporters after the Coyotes snapped a two-game losing streak Thursday, holding Montreal to 0-of-5 on the power play in a 3-2 victory. Mike Smith’s 31 saves in goal was critical, but the Coyotes were effective blocking shots and clearing the zone after they had allowed three power-play tallies combined in losses to Columbus and the New York Islanders. The Jets snapped a six-game winless streak in Wednesday’s 4-1 triumph over Vancouver, but were holding their breath when forward Blake Wheeler left practice Friday after being struck in the face with a puck. Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice told reporters after practice Wheeler was coherent, but his status for Saturday is uncertain.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, SNET (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (10-8-1): Tippett gave Arizona two days off after the loss to the Islanders, and it paid off with a rejuvenated effort against Montreal. Center Martin Hanzal has scored four goals in his past five games after going without a tally in his first 12 contests. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson extended his career-best points streak to seven games with a power-play goal in the second period.
ABOUT THE JETS (9-9-2): Winnipeg cannot afford to lose Wheeler, who leads the team and ranks in the top 10 in the NHL in points (21). The Jets had been outscored 24-8 in their previous five games before Mark Scheifele, Drew Stafford and Mathieu Perreault combined for nine points Wednesday, and Winnipeg displayed the physical style missing during the losing streak. “You can be as big as you want, but if you can’t get to the hit, there aren’t any to make,” Maurice told reporters.
OVERTIME
1. Winnipeg reassigned F Nic Petan to Manitoba of the American Hockey League.
2. Arizona is 8-0-0 when leading after two periods.
3. Perreault, who scored 18 goals in 62 games last season, has just one through 20 games but is tied for the team lead with 13 assists.