Was ist denn jetzt los? Urplötzlich läuft es bei den Coyoten - urplötzlich kann man als Team auftreten und Spiele gewinnen. Gegen die Washington Capitals siegten die Coyoten dank Toren von Shane Doan, Owen Nolan und Keith Ballard mit 3:2.

Travis Roche indes kann sich freuen: er hat sich seinen Platz im Team der Coyoten wohl erspielt - auch nach der Rückkehr von Nick Boynton. Das könnte das Aus für Dennis Seidenberg bedeuten. Er wird sich mit Matt Jones um den Platz streiten müssen.

ESPN: [1] Boxscore [2] Recap

Das schreibt AZCentral.com:

Jovanovski returns from groin injury

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 2, 2007 12:00 AM
WASHINGTON - Defenseman Ed Jovanovski returned to the lineup Monday after missing five games because of a groin injury.

Jovanovski played 17-plus minutes, including 2:20 on the power play, and had two shots.

“I kept it pretty simple and had some pretty good chances,” Jovanovski said. “Overall I’m happy with how I played for a first game back.”

Jovanovski was a minus-1 because he got caught too deep in Washington’s zone trying to make a play, and Capitals center Brian Sutherby quickly scored a goal on the ensuing possession.

Washington star Alexander Ovechkin gave Jovanovski a nasty welcome back gift when he inadvertently shot the puck off the left side of Jovanovski’s face during a power play in the third period.

Jovanovski dropped to the ice and remained there a few moments before skating to the bench. He returned later, and after the game reported no immediate lingering effects of the puck to the face, but said his groin was sore.

“I’m a little achy right now, but we’ve got (today) off and it will be a good day to rest it.”

The Coyotes next play Thursday at Carolina.

Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg was scratched to make room for Jovanovski.

Ice chips
Phoenix did many little things well Monday. The Coyotes won 63 percent of faceoffs, committed just six giveaways and blocked 26 shots.

“It’s so much easier being a goaltender when guys block shots and the guys have been doing that for me and Curtis (Joseph) the last five or six games,” goalie Mikael Tellqvist said.

• Captain Shane Doan has scored a goal in three straight games and four of the past five.

• Owen Nolan’s assist in the first period was the 400th of his NHL career.

• Jeremy Roenick, who notched his 10th career hat trick Saturday vs. San Jose, was given just 4:57 of ice time and none in the third period.

• Washington tough guy Donald Brashear did not play because he was serving a one-game suspension for his role in a fight-filled loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday.

Quelle: [3] http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0102coyotesnb0102.html

Strong start leads to 3rd straight

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 2, 2007 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON - Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky reminded his players before Monday’s matinee that a strong first period is critical to success when playing road games.

They were listening.

The Coyotes dominated tempo, took 15 shots and scored three goals in the first 20 minutes, then held on to beat the struggling Washington Capitals 3-2 at Verizon Center.

“We had a really nice start,” Gretzky said. “I liked the way we went out, went at them and scored a couple big goals.”

The victory was Phoenix’s third in a row and its fourth in the past five games, and lifted the Coyotes out of last place in the Pacific Division.

The Coyotes have 34 points, one more than the idle Los Angeles Kings.

Goalie Mikael Tellqvist made 30 saves to up his record with Phoenix to 5-2-2.

He made his most important stop early in the third period when the Coyotes, leading 3-2, were killing a 58-second, five-on-three disadvantage and Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin fired one of his game-high seven shots at the net uncontested from the mid-slot.

Tellqvist blocked it, and Phoenix went on to win its second straight road game.

“I just tried to get out in front of the goal and make myself as big as possible,” Tellqvist said. “It worked out.”

Owen Nolan gave the Coyotes a 1-0 lead when he flicked a Yanic Perreault pass from the right corner past Capitals goalie Olaf Kolzig on Phoenix’s first of five power plays.

Washington’s Brian Pothier tied the score with a power-play goal, but Keith Ballard and Shane Doan netted goals within the last four minutes of the first period for a 3-1 lead.

Doan’s goal, which he scored 15 seconds before intermission, also was a power-play goal.

The Coyotes, who entered the game ranked 29th in the NHL in power-play scoring, are on a man-advantage rampage.

In the past four games, Phoenix has converted seven of 16 power-play chances.

Washington, led by Ovechkin, who didn’t score but played an impressive game, outshot Phoenix 20-12 over the last two periods, including 9-2 in the third.

But the Capitals couldn’t overcome their early deficit and lost their fifth straight game.

Coyotes report

Cheers
Coyotes defenseman Keith Ballard scored a goal, blocked five shots and made three hits.
Jeers
Penalties committed by Travis Roche (tripping) and Matt Jones (hooking) gave Washington a five-on-three advantage in the third period.
Our three stars
1. Mikael Tellqvist, Coyotes, 30 saves.
2. Owen Nolan, Coyotes, goal, assist, won 9 of 11 face-offs.
3. Alexander Ovechkin, Capitals, assist, seven shots, three hits.
View from the press box
Center Steven Reinprecht probably is going to be activated from the injured reserve list in time for Thursday’s game at Carolina. When that happens, Phoenix will have to make a roster move to make room for him. The team has numerous options including: (a) trade one of its surplus centers for prospects or draft picks; (b) demote a young forward, such as Joel Perrault or Josh Gratton, to its top affiliate in San Antonio; or (c) waive/nudge veteran center Mike Ricci into an early retirement.

Quelle: [4] http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0102coyotes0102.html

Gretzky raves about Roche
Boynton’s return won’t affect blueliner’s status

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 3, 2007 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON - Within a week or so, when Nick Boynton is given medical clearance to return from a fractured foot, the suddenly hot Coyotes are going to have to jettison a defenseman to the minor leagues or another team.

Travis Roche, the blueliner recalled from the American Hockey League to replace Boynton on Nov. 28, does not have to worry. He is not going anywhere.

Coach Wayne Gretzky has placed Roche, who has contributed solid defense, strong power-play skills and six points in 15 games, into the diamond-in-the-rough category that also includes defenseman Zbynek Michalek and center Mike Zigomanis.

“Travis Roche has just been absolutely incredible,” Gretzky said. “We’re fortunate we’ve found three of them. That’s how you build teams.”

Roche was one of the last players Gretzky cut in training camp, and the 28-year-old headed to the team’s top affiliate in San Antonio to start his sixth season in the AHL.

After the demotion, Roche said he immediately ordered the NHL Center Ice television package so he could study all of Phoenix’s games. The games Roche couldn’t watch live, he recorded and watched later.

“I saw how the team was playing and saw what was working and what wasn’t working,” Roche said. “And to be honest, I watched ‘Z’ (Michalek) a lot. I watched what got him to this level and what’s made him a great player here, and when I came up I just tried to do the little things right. So far, so good.”

Roche, who has been paired with veteran Ed Jovanovski, has wowed coaches and teammates with his passes.

He’s started feeling comfortable enough on NHL ice to start jumping into the offense when he senses the time is right.

“I saw how good he was in camp,” captain Shane Doan said. “The guys that played against him in the minors raved about how this guy is incredible and how he dominates. He’s been doing that for us.”

Roche’s next game will be his 16th in the NHL this season. He entered the year with just 10 games on his NHL resume.

“I’m ecstatic about the way things are going,” Roche said. It’s been so much different this year and I don’t know why that is. I think a big part of it is since Day 1 all the guys have been real complimentary towards me. They’ve made me feel at home.”

Quelle: [5] http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0103coyotes0103.html