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Was am Anfang der Saison schlecht lief läuft derzeit irgendwie rund. Nach dem Sieg gegen Washington setzten die Coyoten jetzt noch einen drauf: beim amtierenden Meister aus Carolina siegte man mit 2:0. Die Tore erzielten Perreault und Jovanovski. Für CuJo war es der 49. Shutout seiner Karriere.
So kann es sicherlich weitergehen, derzeit läuft es richtig für die Coyoten. Für einen anderen Spieler läuft es dagegen überhaupt nicht: Mike Ricci durfte die Coyoten verlassen um zu seiner Familie zu fliegen. Mit dieser entscheidet Ricci nun, ob er seine Karriere beenden wird oder ob er um einen Trade bitten wird. Man wird sehen was passiert.
Das schreibt AZCentral.com:
It’s a gem for Joseph
David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 5, 2007 12:00 AM
RALEIGH, N.C. - It’s official.
The Coyotes, who bumbled and stumbled their way through the first two-plus months of the season, are on a roll.
So is goalie Curtis Joseph, who stopped 29 shots to lead Phoenix to a 2-0 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes Thursday night at RBC Center.
With the victory, his 438th, Joseph moved out of a tie for fifth place on the NHL’s all-time list with legend Jacques Plante.
“The guys are playing extremely well in front of me and letting me see the puck and are clearing rebounds,” said Joseph, who registered his second consecutive shutout. “They’re playing great. We had a really tough start as a whole, me included, and it started to go downhill a little bit and sometimes you try to do too much. But the last month or so has really been good for our team and I’m really happy with it and there’s a renewed optimism amongst this club for sure.”
The suddenly cohesive Coyotes upped their winning streak to a season-high four games. The triumph also was Phoenix’s fifth in its past six games and its third straight on the road.
Afterward, coach Wayne Gretzky said Joseph would start tonight’s game against Atlanta.
Yanic Perreault gave Phoenix a 1-0 lead when he flicked a centering pass from the left corner by Oleg Saprykin past Carolina goalie Cam Ward with 16:31 left in the first period.
Ed Jovanovski notched his first goal since returning from a groin injury when his slap shot from above the left circle nicked the stick of Carolina left wing Erik Cole and slipped past Ward 26 seconds into the second period.
“We’ve got a long way to go on this trip,” Gretzky said of the next three games. ” . . . but I like how our team is sitting right now, and I like how our guys are focused.”
Coyotes repot
Cheers
Coyotes center Mike Zigomanis, took five shots, made two hits and won nine of 14 faceoffs.
Jeers
Carolina captain Rod Brind’Amour delivered a dangerous check from behind to Coyotes right wing Fredrik Sjostrom.
Our three stars
1. Curtis Joseph, Coyotes, 29 saves, 49th career shutout.
2. Ed Jovanovski, Coyotes, unassisted goal.
3. Mike Zigomanis, Coyotes, Ssolid game against former team.
View from the press box
The Coyotes entered Thursday’s game with a 12-8-1 record with left wing/enforcer Josh Gratton in the lineup and a 4-12-1 mark without him. Casual observers probably are writing off this stat as coincidental because Gratton is a fourth-line player and averages about six minutes per game. But insiders insist his energy and willingness to stand up for teammates is going a long way during games and helping to create a positive vibe in the dressing room.
Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0105coyotes0105.html
Ricci contemplates retirement
David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 5, 2007 12:00 AM
RALEIGH, N.C. - Mike Ricci, who is one game away from playing his 1,100th regular-season NHL game, has left the Coyotes to consider retirement.
Ricci asked for and was granted a leave of absence Wednesday, and the veteran center flew back to Phoenix to discuss his hockey future with family members.
Ricci, who suffered a neck injury and underwent surgery in the off-season that caused him to miss training camp and the first 20 games of the season, has been a regular healthy scratch, including the seven games leading up to Thursday.
Ricci could not be reached for comment.
“I think it’s gotten to the point where he really needs to address whether he wants to be an in-and-out player with Phoenix and continue that battle or make the decision that the injury is just taking a toll on him and step aside,” Anton Thun, Ricci’s agent, told The Republic on Thursday. “The neck injury that he had over the summer in preparation for the season was a serious neck injury, and he’s not a spring chicken anymore.
“He has a young family, and I think one of the things he strongly has to consider, and is considering, is whether continuing to play and trying to play through this injury is the appropriate thing for him to do rather than just acknowledge that the injury is something that may be limiting his ability to perform at the highest level.”
Thun said he doesn’t expect Ricci to make a decision until after the weekend.
“It’s in his hands now,” coach Wayne Gretzky said after Thursday’s 2-0 win at Carolina.
General Manager Mike Barnett on Thursday said the Coyotes did not know why Ricci wanted to fly home but that they immediately granted his request.
Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0105coyotesnb0105.html
Joseph grabs 2nd straight shutout
Joedy McCreary
Associated Press
Jan. 4, 2007 07:33 PM
RALEIGH, N.C.- Curtis Joseph made 29 saves in his second straight shutout and the Phoenix Coyotes beat the slumping Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 on Thursday night.
Yanic Perreault and Ed Jovanovski each scored to lead the Coyotes to their season-best fourth straight win.
It was the 49th shutout and the 438th victory of Joseph’s 17-year career. He surpassed Hall of Famer Jacques Plante for sole possession of fifth place on the NHL’s career wins list, and followed his 8-0 victory over San Jose last week with another perfect performance.
Next up for CuJo: Terry Sawchuk, who’s fourth with 447 wins.
Cam Ward stopped 26 shots for the Hurricanes, who were shut out for the second consecutive game and sixth time this season, at times drawing boos from the RBC Center crowd when they couldn’t manage a shot on goal during a third-period power play.
The defending Stanley Cup champions also have followed their season-best five-game winning streak with losses in four of their last five.
Carolina lost its fourth straight to the Coyotes and hasn’t defeated Phoenix since Nov. 12, 2002. The Coyotes’ last visit to Tobacco Road came exactly three years earlier, when they beat the Hurricanes 3-0 on Jan. 4, 2004.
Perreault put Phoenix up 1-0 in the opening moments of the first period. Oleg Saprykin chased down the puck in the corner and passed near the goal to Perreault, who beat Ward with a backhand to his glove side for his team-leading 12th goal of the season.
Jovanovski made it a two-goal game 26 seconds into the second when a rebound bounced to him behind the left circle and he one-timed it off Carolina left wing Erik Cole’s stick and past Ward.
The Hurricanes were missing defenseman Bret Hedican and left wing Cory Stillman, who were scratched. Stillman sat out with an upper-body injury, while Hedican is having surgery on the ring finger on his left hadn and is expected to miss up to four weeks.
Notes: Carolina alternate captain Kevyn Adams (staph infection) also was scratched. In his place, LW Ray Whitney wore the “A” on his sweater. … The Coyotes played their first game since trading C Mike Comrie to Ottawa for suspended Russian prospect Alexei Kaigorodov. … Perreault extended his points streak to five games and has 21 points in 27 games with the Coyotes. … Slumping Carolina C Eric Staal has gone nine games without scoring a goal and has just one in his last 15. … The Coyotes improved to 2-0 on their season-long five-game road swing.
Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0104coyotes-ON.html