Flyers at Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes begin their quest for their first postseason berth in five campaigns when they host the Philadelphia Flyers in their 2016-17 season opener Saturday. Arizona has failed to qualify for the playoffs since 2011-12, when it won the first two series since the franchise relocated from Winnipeg to advance all the way to the Western Conference finals before falling to Los Angeles in five games.
The Coyotes attempted to address their defensive needs after finishing 28th in the league in goals allowed last season, adding Luke Schenn and Alex Goligoski to a blue line led by Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Philadelphia opened its season in strong fashion, scoring the game's first four goals en route to a 4-2 road victory over Los Angeles on Friday. Sean Couturier tallied twice while 19-year-old Travis Konecny notched a pair of assists in his NHL debut as the Flyers halted a four-game slide in season openers as they began a campaign in California for the first time since their inaugural season in 1967-68. Philadelphia concludes its three-game road trip at Chicago on Tuesday before taking on Anaheim in its home opener two nights later.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, FSN Arizona
ABOUT THE FLYERS (1-0-0): Konecny was not the only Flyer to make his NHL debut Friday, as 19-year-old defenseman Ivan Provorov notched an assist while receiving 20 minutes, 18 seconds of ice time. Both teenagers were selected in the first round of the 2015 draft, with Provorov being taken with the seventh pick and Konecny going with the 24th. Boyd Gordon and Dale Weise made their debuts with Philadelphia, with the former scoring the team's first goal of the season.
ABOUT THE COYOTES (2015-16: 35-39-8, 4th in Pacific): Captain Shane Doan is back for his 21st — and likely final — season with the franchise after signing a one-year, $5 million contract in July. The 40-year-old right wing proved age is just a number last season by scoring a team-leading 28 goals — his highest total since netting 31 in 2008-09. Arizona is hoping for bigger things from youngsters Max Domi and Anthony Duclair, who registered 52 and 44 points, respectively, as rookies in 2015-16 — with the latter being one of three Coyotes to reach the 20-goal plateau.
OVERTIME
1. Flyers captain Claude Giroux needs one point to tie Gary Dornhoefer (518) for 11th place on the franchise list.
2. Veteran RW Radim Vrbata is back for his third stint with the Coyotes after spending the 2007-08 season and five campaigns from 2009-14 with the club, scoring a career-high 35 goals in 2011-12.
3. Philadelphia C Brayden Schenn and D Radko Gudas will sit out the second contest of their three- and six-game suspensions, respectively.