NHL: Serie gegen Detroit gerissen

12.1.2007 von Coyote.

Während hier mal wieder schlecht Updates ankamen setzten die Coyoten ihre Siegesserie bis gestern fort. Ohne Dennis Seidenberg, der ja für Kevyn Adams nach Carolina wechselte, verloren die Coyoten gegen Detroit auf eigenem Eis mit 1:5. Den einzigen Treffer für Phoenix erzielte Yanic Perreault.

ESPN: Boxscore Recap

Das schreibt AZCentral.com:

Holmstrom helps end run

Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 12, 2007 12:00 AM

Seven was heaven, but eight is too late.

The Coyotes saw their seven-game winning streak get chewed up and spat out Thursday night by a hungry Detroit Red Wings team, and if anyone thought the 5-1 final was embarrassing, let it be known it could have been a whole lot worse.

In what was a giant disappointment all the way around - especially the smallish crowd of 14,386 in what was expected to be a probable sellout at 18,000-seat Jobing.com Arena - the Coyotes were lucky to hang around as long as they did.

The Red Wings, who wrapped up a five-game trip with two straight victories after starting 0-3, fired 45 shots on Phoenix goalie Mikael Tellqvist. The Coyotes, skating mostly on their heels or watching from the penalty box, mustered just 16 on Dominik Hasek.

Tomas Holmstrom notched his second career hat trick and he and top linemates Henrik Zetterberg (three assists) and Pavel Datsyuk (two goals, three assists) accounted for 12 points on a night when it seemed those three were on the ice every other shift.

They were late in the game, when Detroit coach Mike Babcock threw them over the boards during a two-man Red Wings’ advantage, and Datsyuk scored with about two minutes remaining to draw the ire of Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky.

After the goal, Gretzky pointed a finger at the Detroit bench and seemed to exchange heated words with Babcock.

“It wasn’t him,” Gretzky said. “It was someone else.”

Asked to elaborate, Gretzky said, “It isn’t worth it.”

The Coyotes were worried about dropping their guard after completing a franchise-record 5-0 road trip, and captain Shane Doan said they’d have to make sure they played as hard as possible the first 10 minutes.

They did, and caught a break, too, when a Detroit goal was nullified at 14:29 because video replays showed Kris Draper kicked the puck in with a sweep of his left skate. But the momentum was turning the Red Wings’ way.

Penalties and some sloppy weak-side coverage situations kept putting Phoenix on the defensive and with 48.5 seconds left in the first period, Detroit made it 1-0 on a backhander in close by Holmstrom on the power play.

Tellqvist briefly lost his mask during the play when he was hit a couple seconds earlier by a shot from Zetterberg. The Red Wings outshot the Coyotes 17-9 in the period.

Though clearly playing a notch or two above that of the Coyotes, Detroit had a couple fearful moments after watching its two most experienced defensemen, Nicklas Lidstrom (left knee) and Chris Chelios (facial laceration), have to briefly leave the game.

But they returned and so did Detroit’s magic, as the Red Wings scored four times in the third period. Holmstrom now has 12 goals, Datsyuk 13.

“We sat back and waited too much and we gave them way too much respect. I mean way too much respect,” Doan said.

Coyotes report
Cheers
The Coyotes trailed only 1-0 after two periods despite being outshot 30-11.

Jeers
Too many penalties and defensive lapses in front of goalie Mikael Tellqvist.

Our three stars
1. Tomas Holmstrom, Red Wings, hat trick, one assist and a force in front of the net all night.
2. Pavel Datsyuk, Red Wings, two goals, three assists.
3. Henrik Zetterberg, Red Wings, three assists.

View from the press box
Coach Wayne Gretzky on tough-guy forward Josh Gratton, who was scratched because he’s been battling the flu the past few days: “When I was a kid, and I was feeling sick, my mom told me, ‘Go get into a fight, it’ll make you feel better.’ Most mothers just say, ‘Go eat some chicken noodle soup.’”

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0112yotesgamer0112.html

Even new pricing plan can’t get the red out

Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 12, 2007 12:00 AM

A popular eye-drop product has long vowed to “get the red out.” But nothing seemingly works when the vaunted Detroit Red Wings skate into town, not even a new pricing system put into place this season in Glendale that doubles the individual-game ticket cost for Coyotes’ home games against Detroit.

As usual, hundreds upon hundreds of Red Wings fans showed up for Thursday’s game sporting Detroit gear and, as Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky said, “the other red.”

“It’s going to take a long time,” Gretzky said of shedding the Red Wings’ perceived home-ice advantage in places such as the Valley and other non-traditional NHL venues, where the Wings routinely draw huge crowds. “There’s only a few teams that have that sort of following in North America - the Red Wings and maybe the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers. It takes years to build up that reputation, but Detroit earned it by building with guys like Gordie Howe and (Steve) Yzerman and all the way up. There are a lot of people from Michigan who live here, too, so it’s never going to be where there’s 18,000 people cheering for us and none for the Red Wings.”

Gretzky was asked if winning a Stanley Cup might turn the tide in the Coyotes’ favor. He said “no,” adding most “Original Six” teams have a robust following that rarely fades over time. Detroit, he said, might have the best aura in the United States.

Coyotes captain Shane Doan doesn’t subscribe to the theory that most of the fans wearing Detroit sweaters are Phoenix fans in disguise.

“I think the majority of our fans are our fans,” he said. “I also know a lot of people that like hockey came here from Michigan and the northern states and when they’re here, they like cheering for their teams. You don’t necessarily like it, but you understand it.”

Sudden impact
Doan entered Thursday’s game with eight goals and five assists in his previous nine games, earning praise from Gretzky:

“He’s playing the best hockey I’ve seen him play in the year-and-a-half I’ve coached. He’s playing a lot like (Calgary’s) Jarome Iginla. He’s demanding of the puck and he’s killing penalties. He’s the biggest reason why we’re winning. He’s taken his game to another level.”

Doan is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, although casual negotiations on a new deal are ongoing. He has said he wants to finish his career with the Coyotes.

Roster moves
Center Joel Perrault was placed on waivers Thursday to make room for the return today of defenseman Nick Boynton (foot) and forward Patrick Fischer (groin) from the injured list. The Coyotes previously lost Perrault on the waiver wire to the St. Louis Blues and are hopeful he will clear this time and report to Phoenix’s affiliate in San Antonio.

Pang on NBC
Coyotes television analyst Darren Pang was tabbed Thursday by NBC as a broadcaster for the network’s upcoming weekly telecast schedule. He begins work Saturday, helping call the Kings-Blues game, and will be featured in a reporting series called “Inside the Glass.”

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0112yotenb0112.html

Ricci blames woes on rush to return

Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 11, 2007 12:00 AM

A day after being placed on the injured reserve list in a move that could signal the end of his season, if not his career, Coyotes forward Mike Ricci acknowledged he improperly rushed his return from neck surgery and blames himself for not being more patient.

“Looking back, I knew starting the whole rehab process that it was going to take a long time, but sometimes you try to accelerate things and it puts you back. That’s my fault,” Ricci said Wednesday after getting treatment at Jobing.com Arena.

Ricci, 35, who underwent surgery in June to repair a herniated disk and to remove bone fragments, spent a week away from the Coyotes to contemplate his future after continually being benched by coach Wayne Gretzky.

But on Tuesday, it was agreed that Ricci would return to a full rehab program to try to regain the necessary upper-body strength he needs to play again. It’s uncertain whether he will return this season.

Phoenix’s slow start to the season played a hand in Ricci trying to fast-track his return.

Another reason he left the team for a week, he said, was because, “I didn’t want to show my frustration when they were going so well. . . . I just had to go home and get away from the guys to make sure I didn’t bring them down to my level.”

Ricci hurt his neck on May 10 while working out at a Tempe fitness center.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0111yotenb0111.html

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NHL: Es läuft auch ohne Comrie - Sieg nach OT in Atlanta!

6.1.2007 von Coyote.

Fünf Siege in Folge! Irgendwie ist derzeit ein Team in der NHL unterwegs, dass sich langsam aber sicher in Richtung Playoffs spielt. In Atlanta holte man einen 1:4 Rückstand auf, brachte das Spiel in die Verlängerung und gewann es dann auch noch. Für alle, die es noch nicht wissen: die Coyoten sind derzeit absolut heiß!

Die Tore für die Coyoten erzielten Shane Doan (2), Ladislav Nagy und Owen Nolan. In der Verlängerung netzte dann Yanic Perreault den Siegtreffer ein.

ESPN: Boxscore Recap

Das schreibt AZCentral.com:

‘Yotes steal win from Atlanta

Charles Odum
Associated Press
Jan. 5, 2007 08:20 PM

ATLANTA- Yanic Perreault scored 2:29 into overtime and the Phoenix Coyotes rallied from a three-goal deficit to beat the Atlanta Thrashers 5-4 Friday night, stretching their winning streak to a season-high five games.

Shane Doan had two goals for Phoenix, including one in the Coyotes’ three-goal third period.

The Coyotes, who trailed 4-1 early in the third, forced overtime with goals by Ladislav Nagy, Doan and Owen Nolan.

Phoenix claimed its fourth straight road win, including three straight on its current trip.

Marian Hossa, held without a goal for seven games, scored twice for Atlanta. Hossa, tied for second in the NHL with 25 goals, hadn’t scored one since Dec. 19. Ilya Kovalchuk added a goal.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0105coyotes-ON.html

Coyotes miss Ricci as he ponders retirement

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 6, 2007 12:00 AM

ATLANTA - The Coyotes entered Friday’s game with a four-game winning streak, and the mood inside their dressing room is light and fun.

Something, however, is just a little bit off.

Center Mike Ricci, who was granted a leave of absence Wednesday to contemplate his hockey future, is missed by teammates, many of whom suspect he’ll opt to retire, if he hasn’t already.

“I think he’ll probably decide to hang ‘em up,” said center Jeremy Roenick, who was a healthy scratch on Friday night against the Thrashers and who lately also has been thinking more and more about retirement. “He wants to be a guy that plays and make contributions on the ice . . . Whatever he decides, it will be right for him. He can’t make a wrong decision.”

Anton Thun, Ricci’s agent, on Friday said he doesn’t expect Ricci to announce his decision before Monday.

Coyotes General Manager Mike Barnett said Ricci has not contacted him since leaving the team on Wednesday.

Some of the Coyotes players are bracing for news of Ricci’s retirement.

“We don’t really know what’s going on, but we can’t replace a guy like Mike Ricci around the locker room whether he’s in the lineup or out of the lineup,” defenseman Derek Morris said. “Just having him at the rink everyday, he’s one of those guys that’s real fun and funny, and he’s got a real positive attitude. He’s going to be sorely missed, that’s for sure.”

Ricci has been trying to come back from off-season neck surgery. Coach Wayne Gretzky has used him sparingly because he feels Ricci is not physically ready.

“It’s a horrible situation that he’s in,” Gretzky said. “It was a horrible situation for me because I have so much respect for him as a player. I hated not dressing him (11 times in 18 games). But the reality was I felt that we had to be honest with him.”

Ice chips
Besides being Ricci’s agent, Thun represents Russian forward Alexei Kaigorodov, the player whose rights Phoenix acquired in the trade Wednesday that sent center Mike Comrie to the Ottawa Senators.

Thun said although Kaigorodov went back to Russia to play instead of reporting to Ottawa’s minor league affiliate, the 23-year-old wants to play in the NHL again and will report to training camp in September.

“He’s excited about the trade and looking forward to next fall,” Thun said.

• Gretzky said Mikael Tellqvist would start in goal on Sunday afternoon vs. Chicago.

• Center Peter Mueller, the team’s top prospect, finished the World Junior Championships with three goals and three assists in seven games and helped lead Team USA to a bronze medal. The Coyotes chose Mueller, 18, with the eighth overall pick in the 2006 NHL draft.

• Roenick was asked what he would have said or done had somebody told him two months ago that the Coyotes would beat quality opponents Anaheim, San Jose (twice), Washington and Carolina within a two-week span:

“I would have put you in the loony bin,” he said.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0106coyotesnb0106.html

Rally helps ‘Yotes maintain streak

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 6, 2007 12:00 AM

ATLANTA - The day before the Coyotes started this five-game road trip, coach Wayne Gretzky said - with a straight face, mind you - that there was no reason the surging Coyotes couldn’t capture all 10 points before heading home.

Well, it’s six down and four to go.

Yanic Perreault scored a breakaway goal with 2:29 left in overtime Friday night to lead Phoenix to an amazing 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers at Philips Arena.

“The goalie charged me, and I didn’t think I had time to lift the puck (over him), but I did,” said Perreault, who beat Thrashers backup goalie Johan Hedberg.

The win earns the “amazing” label because the Coyotes trailed 4-1 with less than 18 minutes left in the game.

But Ladislav Nagy, Shane Doan and Owen Nolan each scored goals to send the game to overtime.

“When your best players go to another level, you can feel it on the bench,” Gretzky said after his team’s season-high fifth consecutive victory. “The team could really sense that Doan and Nagy were playing at a strong, strong level, and they seemed to lift the whole bench and everybody just sort of followed suit.”

Defenseman Zbynek Michalek set up Perreault’s winning goal with a crisp pass from deep within the Phoenix zone.

“It was a huge comeback, and it just shows the character of this team,” Michalek said. “We never give up. We just have to keep this thing going. We’ve had a really good road trip so far, and we have two games left. This game is a huge lift for us, so we have to keep the momentum going.”

The Coyotes’ penalty-kill unit kept Phoenix in the game when it thwarted a man advantage for Atlanta that began late in the third period and carried over into overtime.

Doan scored two goals for Phoenix, which came out flat and trailed 2-0 after the first period.

Doan, who struggled to score goals with consistency for the first two-plus months of the season, has notched six in the past seven games.

Marian Hossa scored two goals and Ilya Kovalchuk added one for Atlanta.

The Coyotes, who were playing their second game in two nights, appeared fatigued in the first period when Atlanta blitzed them with four odd-man rushes and outshot them 9-4.

Coyotes goalie Curtis Joseph wasn’t sharp, but he made a key stop in the overtime and was good enough to earn his 439th career victory.

Coyotes report

Cheers
Phoenix defenseman Derek Morris displayed some fancy stickwork when he stuffed a wraparound shot on goal by Atlanta’s Jon Sim early in the second period.

Jeers
Center Mike Zigomanis put the Coyotes in a jam when he got nabbed for delaying the game after flicking the puck over the glass with 52 seconds left in the third period.

Our three stars
1. Shane Doan, Coyotes, two goals.
2. Yanic Perreault, Coyotes, game-winning goal, assist.
3. Marian Hossa, Thrashers, two goals.

View from the press box
Trying to predict which of his two goalies coach Wayne Gretzky is going to use in the next game has become quite challenging for the media members who cover the Coyotes on a daily basis. Just when some of us think we’ve figured out his system, Gretzky throws us a curve. The problem — for us, not Gretzky — is that both Curtis Joseph and Mikael Tellqvist are playing well lately and deserve to start.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0106coyotes0106.html

Geschrieben in NHL Coyotes | Drucken | Keine Kommentare »

NHL: Und der nächste Shutout: Yotes besiegen den Meister 2:0!

5.1.2007 von Coyote.

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.

ESPN: Boxscore Recap

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

Geschrieben in NHL Coyotes | Drucken | 1 Kommentar »

NHL: Coyoten schicken Comrie nach Ottawa!

3.1.2007 von Coyote.

Ein wenig überraschend wurde gerade eben vermeldet: Mike Comrie verlässt die Coyoten! Vielmehr: er muss die Coyoten vorzeitig verlassen. Neu in Phoenix sind jetzt die Rechte von Alexei Kaigorodov. Der machte in dieser Saison in Ottawa das Gleiche wie Enver Lisin mit den Coyoten: als er in die AHL geschickt wurde türmte er nach Russland. So macht man aus einem Problemfall einen doppelten. Vielleicht erhofft man sich auch, dass die Beiden in der nächsten Saison zusammen nach Phoenix kommen und sich dann gegenseitig unterstützen. Abwarten also.

Das Comrie nun weg ist kommt ein wenig überraschend aber ist nicht unbedingt unlogisch. Comrie und sein Agent ließen verlauten, dass sie nach dem Ablauf des Vertrages in diesem Jahr den Free-Agent Markt testen wollen. Es könnte also sein, dass Comrie so oder so nach der Saison weg gewesen wäre. Da zudem Steve Reinprecht wieder zurückkommen wird war ein Center zuviel im Kader. Das es aber gerade Comrie trifft - das war doch überraschend.

Ich wünsche Mike Comrie alles Gute in Ottawa, wo er vorerst wohl der Nr. 1 Center sein wird (aufgrund von Verletzungen dort). Den Coyotes wünsche ich, dass sich dieser jetzt doch ein wenig komisch aussehende Deal in Zukunft noch auszahlen wird.

So sieht er aus, der “Neue”:

Einen Bericht von AZCentral.com gibt es bislang nicht, dafür die Meldungen von TSN.ca sowie von Ottawasenators.com. Eine Diskussion über das Thema läuft bei HFBoards auf Hochtouren - hier gelangt ihr dort hin. Eine Einschätzung über Alexei Kaigorodov von Hockeysfuture.com findet ihr hier.

TSN.ca:

Senators acquire Comrie in trade

TSN.ca Staff w/files from CP

1/3/2007 11:39:33 AM

The Ottawa Senators have acquired forward Mike Comrie from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for center Alexei Kaigorodov.

Comrie has seven goals and 13 assists in 24 games this season. He missed 14 games earlier this season with a fractured right foot. Since returning, he has recorded nine points in his last 11 games.

It remains to be seen whether Comie will be in the lineup for Wednesday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. He is expected to land from Washington late this afternoon and needs to go through a physical and be added to the roster by 5 pm et if he is to play tonight.

Comrie scored 30 goals last year for the Phoenix Coyotes, but made it clear to Coyotes management he would be testing the free agent market this summer.

Armed with that knowledge, Phoenix has been actively trying to shed Comrie’s $3-million ticket for the past several weeks.

“This allows us to be flexible, to determine whether we’re a buyer or seller over the next 25 games leading up to the deadline,” Coyotes manager Mike Barnett tells TSN.

“It puts us in position to take on a bigger contract if there is a fit down the road.”.

Kaigorodov, a second round pick of the Senators in 2002, was signed to a two year deal back in September and appeared in just six games for Ottawa this season, collecting one assist. He was suspended in November for refusing an assignment to Binghampton of the AHL.

The Coyotes will maintain Kaigorodov’s suspended status, meaning they own his rights but won’t have to pay him until he returns to the NHL, perhaps, next season.

Kaigorodov is currently playing in Russia, as is Coyotes draft pick Enver Lisin and its hoped both are focusing on the defensive aspects of their game, which could provide Phoenix with a decent 1-2 punch next year.

The trade comes a day after the Senators lost forward Petr Nedved to the Edmonton Oilers on waivers. With top two centres Jason Spezza and Mike Fisher out with knee injuries, Senators GM John Muckler has been working the phones over the past few days trying to find some help.

The Coyotes will welcome the return of Steve Reinprecht to their lineup Thursday in Carolina and based on the solid play of veteran Yanic Perreault and the evolution of Mike Zigomanis, Comrie and his salary became an easy target.

“Ottawa had interest right from the beginning, but the discussions heated up a week ago,” said Barnett.

The Senators were seen by many as needing a centre even before the injuries to Spezza and Fisher. Once everyone is healthy Comrie will likely be the No. 2 centre.

In six NHL seasons, Comrie has collected 110 goals, 127 assists and 252 penalty minutes in 345 career games with the Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers and Phoenix Coyotes. The Edmonton, Alta., native was drafted by the Oilers in the third round, 91st overall, of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He played in Edmonton from 2000-01 to 2002-03 before he was traded to Philadelphia on Dec. 16, 2003. Comrie was then traded later in the 2003-04 season to Phoenix on Feb. 4, where he has played since.

Comrie’s best seasons to date came first in 2001-02 when he recorded 33 goals, 27 assists and 60 points in 82 games with Edmonton. He also played in the 2002 NHL YoungStars Game as part of NHL All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. Comrie had his second 30-goal season in 2005-06 with Phoenix, and added as many assists for another 60-point campaign.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=190679&hubname=nhl

OttawaSenators.com:

Senators look for offensive boost from Mike Comrie

by Todd Anderson

With centres Jason Spezza, Mike Fisher and Antoine Vermette out of the lineup with injuries, Ottawa Senators general manager John Muckler helped fill the gap today by acquiring Mike Comrie from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for prospect Alexei Kaigorodov.

“Very seldom are you going to lose your (top three) centre-ice men. We felt we needed a little more offence,” Muckler explained on why he made the trade. “The team has been playing very well. We just felt over the long run we needed a push on the offensive side.”

There’s a chance the Senators’ newest player will be in the lineup tonight when the club hosts the Eastern Conference-leading Buffalo Sabres at Scotiabank Place. Comrie was expected to arrive in Ottawa this afternoon.

Senators head coach Bryan Murray, who didn’t want to speculate on whom Comrie would play with if he was available for tonight, said he’s happy with the addition. During his days as the general manager of the Anaheim Ducks, Murray saw quite a bit of Comrie, who then played for the Edmonton Oilers.

“He seemed to be a thorn in the side of our team every time we would go in there,” Murray recalls. “He’s a skilled player, a point-getter. He’s played pretty well in the NHL. He should add some offence to this group. We’ve been short in our ability to score; Mike gives us an upgrade.”

With both Fisher and Spezza out for a period of time with knee injuries, and fellow centre Vermette day-to-day with a hip injury, Chris Kelly has been given more minutes playing in between Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson. He doesn’t mind if Comrie will take away some of those minutes.

“He’s a great player and especially in our situation right now, he should help out,” Kelly said. “It never hurts to add depth on the team. I’m just trying to help out where I can.”

Comrie, 26, has played in 24 games with the Coyotes this season, recording seven goals, 13 assists and 20 penalty minutes. In six NHL seasons, Comrie has scored 110 goals, 127 assists and 252 penalty minutes in 345 games.

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NHL: Nächster Erfolg - Sieg in Washington!

3.1.2007 von Coyote.

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: Boxscore 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: 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: 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: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0103coyotes0103.html

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NHL: Sensationeller Sieg gegen San Jose!

31.12.2006 von Coyote.

Ok, wer war dieses Mannschaft, die da gestern auf dem Eis stand? Die Coyoten erlegten die San Jose Sharks mit 8:0! Was für ein Sieg! Shane Doan kam auf 5 Punkte (1 Tor, 4 Assists), Jeremy Roenick erzielte einen Hattrick (richtig gelesen: DER Jeremy Roenick!).

Im Tor stand Curtis Joseph, der mit dem Sieg auf Rang 5 der ewigen Goalie-Liste nach Siegen vorrückte. Auch keine schlechte Leistung.

Wenn sich die Coyoten nun auf dieses Spiel besinnen und merken, dass sie sowohl Hockey spielen nd Tore erzielen können, sowie hinten “dicht” sein können - tja, dann können sie vielleicht wirklich noch einen Anlauf auf die Playoffs wagen. Ich jedenfalls wünsche mir das für 2007

ESPN: Boxscore Recap

Das schreibt AZCentral.com:

Roenick, Joseph pace Coyotes

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 31, 2006 12:00 AM

On the night marking the 25th anniversary of Wayne Gretzky’s five-goal outing that gave him a record-setting 50 goals in 39 games, the Coyotes, led by Jeremy Roenick’s hat trick, did their coach three better.

Phoenix beat the San Jose Sharks 8-0 on Saturday night at Jobing.com Arena.

The Coyotes didn’t need superb goaltending, but they got it from Curtis Joseph, who stopped 40 shots and moved into a tie for fifth place with Jacques Plante on the NHL’s all-time victories list with 437.

“Jacques Plante is one of the inventors and the builders of the game and he’s a Hall of Famer,” Joseph said. “So any time I can be mentioned in the same breath as Jacques Plante, that’s a tremendous honor.”

The Coyotes were outshot 19-6 in the first period yet somehow led 3-0 after it was over thanks to Joseph and goal-scorers Roenick, Zbynek Michalek and Shane Doan.

“I think the score after one was a little flattering for us,” Gretzky, the Coyotes coach, said. “Curtis was sensational.”

Travis Roche, Ladislav Nagy and Mike Comrie each scored goals in the second period to secure Phoenix’s third victory in the past four games.

“We’re getting there,” Doan said, “but we’ve definitely got a ways to go yet.”

Roenick scored his second and third goals of the game in the final six minutes of regulation.

Doan tied a career high with five points, but he had to settle for being named the third star behind Joseph and Roenick.

“And that’s very, very legit,” Doan said with a smile.

Coyotes report
Cheers
Kudos to Coyotes left wing Ladislav Nagy for notching the 100th goal of his NHL career, and to defenseman Matt Jones for fighting San Jose’s Steve Bernier.

Jeers
Goalie Evgeni Nabokov apparently did not bring his reflexes with him from San Jose. He gave up three goals on Phoenix’s first six shots and promptly got yanked.

Our three stars
1. Curtis Joseph, Coyotes, 40 saves, first shutout.
2. Jeremy Roenick, Coyotes, hat trick.
3. Shane Doan, Coyotes, one goal, four assists.

View from the press box
Don’t look now but the Coyotes, the team most Arizona sports fans gave up on after their horrendous 3-10 start, suddenly are playing like a club that could actually make the playoffs. Phoenix has earned seven of eight points in the past four games and is beating quality opponents (San Jose twice and Anaheim). Granted, the Coyotes still have a high ladder to climb to get into serious playoff contention, but at least now they’ve got both hands back on the rungs and are moving upward.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1231yotesgamer1231.html

Scoring drought ends for Roenick

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 31, 2006 12:00 AM

Jeremy Roenick entered Saturday’s game wondering if he’d ever score another NHL goal.

After the game, Roenick, who was a healthy scratch just two nights before against the same San Jose Sharks, was answering questions about his 10th career hat trick.

Roenick sparked Saturday’s 8-0 victory when he scored his second goal of the season, in style on a breakaway, early in the first period, then punctuated the rout with two more goals in the final six minutes of the third period.

Roenick’s first goal came after he stripped the puck from Sharks defenseman Kyle McLaren near San Jose’s blue line, then rushed goalie Evgeni Nabokov and fired the puck past him 3 minutes, 18 seconds into the game.

Roenick, who scored his only other goal of the season on Oct. 23, felt immediate relief.

“I went from (weighing) 10,000 pounds to probably about 20,” Roenick said. “It was a great feeling.”

Roenick was voted the game’s second star and took his postgame bow with his son, Brett, perched on his shoulders.

Roenick’s first-period goal was his first on home ice since he rejoined the Coyotes, and the larger-than-usual crowd at Jobing.com Arena roared its approval.

Reinprecht to return
The Coyotes plan to activate center Steven Reinprecht from the injured reserve list during the five-game trip that begins Monday; it’s just a matter of when.

Members of the team’s medical staff were scheduled to X-ray and re-examine Reinprecht’s fractured right clavicle after Saturday’s game.

Should Reinprecht get medical clearance to return, he could play Monday.

If he does not play in that game, he’d likely play in the next game, Thursday at defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina.

Reinprecht suffered the injury in the fourth game of the season vs. Nashville.

“It’s been a long two-and-a-half, three months,” Reinprecht said Saturday. “I’m champing at the bit. When I get the go-ahead, I’ll be excited.”

Reinprecht has been practicing with teammates for a few weeks and recently began making contact with teammates to test the clavicle.

He reports no pain.

Getting into playing condition is the final hurdle blocking his return.

Captain Shane Doan is eager for Reinprecht’s return.

“He’s one of the big parts of our team and can do a lot for us,” Doan said. “He makes the game easier for whoever he plays with.”

Ice chips
Center Dave Scatchard, who has scored three goals and is a minus-16, was a healthy scratch for the first time.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1231coyotesnb1231.html

‘Yotes shut out Sharks in rout

Associated Press
Dec. 30, 2006 10:01 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Curtis Joseph stopped 40 shots for his 437th win, tying Jacques Plante for fifth on the career victories list, and the Phoenix Coyotes beat the San Jose Sharks 8-0 on Saturday night.

Joseph, making his second consecutive start after sitting out four of the previous five, made 19 saves in the first period en route to his 48th career shutout.

Jeremy Roenick, who entered the night with one goal in 31 games, recorded a hat trick for the Coyotes, 8-2-1 in their last 11 home games. Shane Doan had a goal and four assists.

Zbynek Michalek and Ladislav Nagy each added a goal and an assist, and Mike Comrie and Travis Roche also scored for Phoenix, which beat San Jose for the second time in three nights.

Phoenix finished December 6-5-2, its second straight non-losing month after beginning the season 3-9-0.

The Sharks have lost four of five.

Roenick gave Phoenix a 1-0 lead 3:18 into the game, taking the puck from Kyle McLaren in the San Jose zone and beating Evgeni Nabokov on a wrist shot from the bottom of the right circle.

Michalek made it 2-0 at 12:54 of the first on a hard shot from the inside of the right circle and Doan extended the lead to 3-0 at 15:11 when he beat Nabokov with a backhander from the bottom of the left circle after a scrum in front of the net.

Vesa Toskala replaced Nabokov, who allowed three goals on six shots, but Phoenix kept rolling in the second period.

Roche scored on a one-timer from between the circles at 8:04 of the second for a 4-0 Coyotes lead. Nagy made it 5-0 at 12:24 when he took a pass from Doan and slid the puck into the open right side of the net for his 100th career goal.

Comrie added a power-play goal at 15:54 of the third period, beating Toskala on a rebound off Michalek’s shot from the point.

Roenick got his second goal, his 400th in two stints with the Coyotes, with 5:08 to go when he rifled a wrist shot past Toskala from the middle of the right circle. He added his third with 1:30 to go.

Notes: Sharks coach Ron Wilson was ejected from the game with 4:17 left in the second period after arguing an interference penalty against Joe Thornton. Thornton guided Oleg Saprykin into the open door on the Coyotes bench, earning the initial penalty. Wilson first earned a bench minor for yelling at referee Mick McGeough and was handed a game misconduct moments later. … After recording 19 shots on goal in the first period, San Jose didn’t get its first of the second period until 8:10 remained. … Oleg Saprykin and Mike Grier each were handed misconduct penalties with 9:12 remaining, ending their nights.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1230coyotes-ON.html

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NHL: Überraschender Erfolg gegen San Jose!

29.12.2006 von Coyote.

Es gibt scheinbar noch Zeichen und Wunder! Gegen die San Jose Sharks landeten die Coyoten einen Sieg, der wirklich gut für Selbstvertrauen und Seele sein kann. Mit 3:2 siegte man - und schoss den entscheidenden Treffer 41 Sekunden vor dem Ende. Torschütze war Yanic Perreault. Zuvor trafen bereits Shane Doan und Oleg Saprykin für die Coyoten. 

ESPN: Boxscore Recap

Das schreibt AZCentral.com:

Perreault’s late goal saves ‘Yotes

Greg Beacham
Associated Press
Dec. 28, 2006 11:20 PM

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Yanic Perreault scored on a wraparound with 40.9 seconds to play, and the Phoenix Coyotes recovered from blowing a two-goal lead to beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Thursday night.

Curtis Joseph made 27 saves and kept Phoenix in the game with several stunners in the third period. Perreault then scored easily when Sharks goalie Vesa Toskala got entangled with defenseman Scott Hannan, leaving the net unguarded as Perreault came in from behind.

Oleg Saprykin and captain Shane Doan scored early goals for the last-place Coyotes in the first game of a home-and-home series between the division rivals.

Joe Thornton and Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored in the second period to tie it for the Sharks, who finished a disappointing six-game homestand with four losses, including three straight to Pacific Division foes. Toskala made 20 saves, but the Sharks lost consecutive games for just the third time all season.

San Jose’s outstanding season slipped during its first sustained home stretch. After beating NHL-leading Anaheim midway through the month, the Sharks have lost three of four to fall further behind the Ducks in the division standings.

The Coyotes still have scored more than three goals in just one game in December, but Joseph’s latest outstanding effort against the Sharks kept Phoenix in it. Joseph improved to 33-9-1 against San Jose in his career.

Phoenix went ahead in the first period on Saprykin’s power-play goal, and Doan got the Shark Tank grumbling at another slow start when he scored just his second goal in 12 games.

San Jose finally scored midway through the second period when rookie Joe Pavelski missed an open net, but grabbed his own rebound and fed Thornton for the reigning MVP’s 10th goal.

Vlasic, the Sharks’ 19-year-old defenseman, tied it with 18 seconds left in the period on a power play, tapping home Smith’s shot to snap a personal eight-game scoreless streak.

Phoenix agitator Mike Comrie got a bit rambunctious at the end of San Jose’s 4-0 win over the Coyotes two weeks ago, cheap-shotting defenseman Josh Gorges but refusing to fight Mark Bell. Comrie and Bell had a conversation at center ice before this game, but nothing happened in the game.

Notes: Phoenix D Zbynek Michalek had two assists, but was penalized in the second period for high-sticking his brother, Sharks RW Milan Michalek. … San Jose D Kyle McLaren missed his third straight game with a bad case of the flu, while Phoenix D Ed Jovanovski missed a fourth straight game with a strained groin.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1228coyotes-ON.html

This time, Roenick OK with scratch

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 29, 2006 12:00 AM

SAN JOSE - Coyotes center Jeremy Roenick was a healthy scratch Thursday night, but unlike the time coach Wayne Gretzky chose to sit him a few weeks back in Vancouver, Roenick accepted Gretzky’s decision without a fuss.

“He’s not playing me, but it’s understood that there are going to be nights when it’s going to be like that, and there will be nights when I play five or eight minutes, and there might be some nights when I play 12 or 13,” Roenick said. “I’m in a place right now mentally, especially with everything I’ve gone through in the last week and a half with my daughter, that I’m not going to let things bother me. I’m just going to try to enjoy myself and help the young guys develop, and be a good role model and a good teacher and a good cheerleader. That’s what I do best, use my mouth. I might as well do it.”

Roenick’s daughter, Brandi, recently was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy, a kidney ailment.

Veteran center Mike Ricci also was scratched again, but this time it was the first time he was benched in the arena where he starred for the Sharks for six-plus seasons.

Gretzky said his decision to sit both veterans wasn’t easy, but younger players Josh Gratton and Joel Perrault deserved to play.

Perrault’s four shots on goal vs. Los Angeles on Tuesday impressed Gretzky, and Gratton wowed him when he fought LA’s Raitis Ivanans after Ivanans got tough with defensemen Zbynek Michalek and Keith Ballard.

‘OMG’ line is MIA
Here’s Gretzky’s take on breaking up the line of Oleg Saprykin, Mike Zigomanis and Georges Laraque, which teamed for 31 points in the 18 games it played together from Nov. 14 to Dec. 23.

“The way the game works is you’ve got to win,” Gretzky said. “And although that line was probably our most consistent line for a stretch of 15 games or so we went into a little bit of tailspin there, losing a couple games at home and losing a couple on the road. So, you look at the losses. If you’re winning, you keep a line together. It’s as simple as that. I didn’t break that line up because they’re not playing well or we’re not happy with their play as a line; we broke that line up because we weren’t winning.”

Cujo the Shark tamer
Goalie Curtis Joseph said it’s a mystery to him why he has had so much success against San Jose.

Joseph entered Thursday’s game with a 32-9-1 record vs. the Sharks.

“If you can figure it out or have a theory, let me know,” Joseph said. “I don’t look at the logo as much as I do the player. I don’t say, ‘Here comes the shark.’ It’s more like, ‘Here comes Joe Thornton’ and ‘(Jonathan) Cheechoo’s over there.’ ”

Ice chip
Defenseman Ed Jovanovksi missed his fourth consecutive game because of a groin injury.

Coyotes report
Cheers
Coyotes defenseman Zbynek Michalek dived stick-first to break up a two-on-one rush early in the second period, and had two assists.

Jeers
Tied at 2, Phoenix didn’t come anywhere close to scoring a goal on two third-period power plays.

Our three stars
1. Oleg Saprykin, Coyotes, goal, assist.
2. Yanic Perreault, Coyotes, decisive goal.
3. Joe Thornton, Sharks, goal, assist.

View from the press box
The Coyotes on Thursday night scored just their third first-period goal in 12 games this month. Coach Wayne Gretzky is stumped: “I don’t have an answer for that. Maybe we’re playing too much soccer before the game, I don’t know. I talked to the guys a couple weeks ago (and told them) change your style, change your pattern. If you don’t ride a bike for a few minutes before a game, ride a bike for a few minutes. If you don’t skate hard in warm-ups, skate harder in warm-ups, or if you skate hard in warm-ups, skate a little lighter in warm-ups.” On the bright side, there’s only one game left in December.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1229coyotesnb1229.html

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NHL: Update der letzten Tage

16.12.2006 von Coyote.

Leider konnte ich aus Unitechnischen Gründen zuletzt keine Updates mehr hier brignen - dies ist aber heute anders, die Woche wird nun mal aufbereitet.

Es gibt auch eininges zum Aufarbeiten. So gab es seit dem 10.12.06 insgesamt Spiele.

Im Einzelnen:

Am Montag verlor man 0:4 gegen San Jose. ESPN: Boxscore Recap

Am Dienstag gab es eine 2:5 Klatsche gegen Vancouver. ESPN: Boxscore Recap

Am Donnerstag siegte man mit 5:4 nach Verlängerung gegen Columbus (und brahc deren Siegesserie damit). ESPN: Boxscore Recap

Also wieder keine wirklich erfolgreiche Woche bislang, heute gegen Calgary wird es sicherlich nciht einfacher.

Es gab auch auch Teamintern einiges. So gab es gehörig Trouble um Jeremy Roenick, der zudem ankündigte am Saisonende aufhören zu wollen, David LeNeveu soll getradet werden - eine Ereignisreiche Woche also, deren komplette Aufbereitung den Rahmen wohl sprengen würde.

Hier die Artikel der Woche von AZCentral.com:

Nolan makes impact

Jim Gintonio
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 11, 2006 12:00 AM

Ever since he slipped on a pair of $10 second-hand skates as a 9-year old, Owen Nolan and hockey were a perfect fit.

So it was no surprise that Nolan, who missed the 2004 playoffs with Toronto and the next two seasons because of the lockout and a serious knee injury, opted to make a return this season, signing as a free agent with the Coyotes. “It was frustrating,” said Nolan, the No. 1 overall pick by Quebec in the 1990 draft and a 1992 All-Star Game participant. “I thought I’d be back a lot sooner, but my knee just wouldn’t get back to where I needed it to be able to play. Once you have surgery, you’re never back to 100 percent, but it feels as good as it’s gonna get. I feel no pain now.”

Nolan’s greatest moments came with San Jose. He was a team captain, a four-time All-Star and the team’s most prolific player as the all-time leader in goals (206), assists (245) and points (451), although Patrick Marleau is closing in on those marks.

But he’ll probably be most remembered for his “called shot” in the 1997 All-Star Game as part of a hat trick.

“It just felt right at the right time,” Nolan said, smiling. “It was in our home building in San Jose, so I was just having fun with it, having fun with (Dominik) Hasek (East goalie). He had my number up to that point. I said, ‘No matter what, I can’t make it any worse, so let’s have some fun.’ ”

Nolan, who will be 35 in February, captained the Sharks from 1998 to 2003. He’ll be playing at the HP Pavilion for only the second time since leaving. His first time back was in 2004 with the Maple Leafs, to whom he was traded in 2003.

“When you were young, you used to laugh at the old guys with the hot packs on every day and what not, but when you’re at that stage it’s not that funny anymore,” he said. “The older you get, it takes a little more time to heal.

“The bumps and bruises don’t go away as quick. It’s part of life, part of the game.”

Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky said that some things he had heard about Nolan have never surfaced since he joined the team.

“He’s been a consummate professional here,” Gretzky said. “He has been really good in the (locker) room, kept the guys together. People told me that he could be testy and be grumpy, but he’s been nothing but positive around the room.

“He’s done a really good job killing penalties for us. He has accepted his responsibility for this team, and as I have said, one of the things about our team is when (Georges) Laraque, (Shane) Doan and Nolan show their physical presence, we’re a much better hockey club.”

Current teammate Mike Ricci, who served as captain in San Jose following Nolan’s departure, knows how difficult it is to have to be out for a long time.

“I’ve known him for a long time,” Ricci said. “It’s a credit to him to keep working and wanting to play. He’s a good man.”

Nolan said he’s excited about returning to the HP Pavilion, and he’s hoping that the fans react positively.

“I love the city,” he said. “I gave my heart, played as hard as I could there, and hopefully they respect that.”

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1211nolan1211.html

Toskala, Sharks blank Coyotes

Associated Press
Dec. 11, 2006 10:45 PM

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Vesa Toskala stopped 23 shots for his third shutout this season, and Joe Pavelski scored for the fifth time in nine games to lift the San Jose Sharks to a 4-0 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Monday night.

Milan Michalek, Steve Bernier and Curtis Brown also scored for the Sharks, who beat Phoenix at home for the first time in nearly three years.

Toskala made a handful of acrobatic stops to record his seventh career shutout and help the Sharks win at home for the seventh time in eight games.

The Coyotes, who had won two of three on the road, fell to 3-11 away from the desert.

Pavelski, who helped Wisconsin win the NCAA title last season, had a goal in his NHL debut on Nov. 22 and four in his first five games. He’s earned at least a point in six of nine games.

Phoenix, next-to-last in the NHL in penalty kills, got through the Sharks’ first two-man advantage but not the second.

Jeremy Roenick took a double minor for high-sticking Josh Gorges in front of the Sharks bench, and Zbynek Michalek - Milan’s older brother - was called for hooking less than two minutes later.

Curtis Joseph, unbeaten in six games against the Sharks last season, turned back a flurry of shots until Joe Thornton’s quick pass opened the net for Michalek’s 10th goal, a shot from the top of the crease with 1:29 left in the first period.

Thornton, who registered three assists, has a goal and seven assists in three games.

The Sharks made it 2-0 late in the second period. Taking advantage of an odd-man rush, Patrick Marleau drew coverage along the right boards and flipped a backward pass to Bernier in the slot, who sent the puck into the upper left corner of the net just moments before tripping over a teammate and sliding into the boards.

Pavelski redirected Thornton’s slap shot past Joseph on a power play to give the Sharks a 3-0 lead with 2:19 left in the second period.

Brown scored just over four minutes into the third period. Thornton used the back of the net to bounce a pass to Brown, who flipped it into the upper right corner of the net.

Notes: Marleau played in his 671st NHL game, matching Mike Rathje for the Sharks’ franchise record. … Joseph, who recorded his first career shutout against the Sharks, has 32 wins against San Jose, his most versus any team. … The Sharks outshot Phoenix 15-1 in the first 12 minutes and finished with a season-high 22 in the first period. … Thornton’s six shots in the first period matched a franchise record, done 10 previous occasions. … The Sharks last win at home against the Coyotes was Feb. 5, 2004.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1211coyotes-ON.html

Jovanovski prepares to face former team

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 12, 2006 12:00 AM

SAN JOSE - Defenseman Ed Jovanovski is “anxious” for tonight’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, the team he played six-plus seasons for before signing with the Coyotes this past summer.

“I’m a little bit nervous,” Jovanovski said Monday. “But what it boils down to is it’s just another game.”

Jovanovski signed with Phoenix because the Canucks were facing salary-cap issues and did not offer him enough money to stay.

“I wish it had worked out,” Jovanovski said. “I really like the organization. They do everything first class. I thought at some point something was going to get done . . . but at some point, as a player, you want to be paid market value.”

The Coyotes signed Jovanovski to a five-year contract on July 1 - the first day they were allowed to - for a franchise-high $32.5 million.

Early returns on that investment were not great as Jovanovski struggled to contribute offensively. He notched just seven points in his first 19 games.

“I think Eddie would be the first to admit that the first couple of weeks were maybe a little bit more difficult than he anticipated,” coach Wayne Gretzky said. “A big part of that is because he was trying so hard and wanted to win so badly.”

Gretzky said he erred by giving Jovanovski too much ice time early in the season, so he has shaved it a bit.

“You can see the rewards in the last little while here,” Gretzky said. “He’s been better offensively because he’s got more energy to go the other way. He’s settled in nicely now and in the last 10 games he’s just been getting better every night.”

Jovanovski entered Monday’s game with nine points in his past nine games.

Jovanovski agreed he may have been trying to do too much early in the season as the Coyotes started 3-10-0.

“When a team is losing you want to be the guy to get the team going,” Jovanovski said. “(But) guys are too good in this league. Keeping it simple is a phrase you hear all the time, but it’s amazing. The less you do, the more you accomplish. That’s the way I look at it.”

Ricci plays
Gretzky inserted center Mike Ricci back into the lineup Monday against the Sharks, the team he once captained, after scratching him the past two games and three of the past four.

Ricci replaced center Patrick Fischer, who is nursing a sore groin muscle.

Ice chips
Center Steven Reinprecht accompanied the team on this two-game trip to boost his psyche as he rehabs a fractured right clavicle.

Next up for Reinprecht are X-rays on Thursday in the Valley.

• Gretzky said Mikael Tellqvist would start in goal tonight.

Tellqvist posted a 2-0-1 record and 2.21 goals-against average in his first three starts.

View from the press box
Curtis Joseph is not known for being a quote machine, but the Coyotes goalie delivered a memorable line after Monday’s morning skate worth noting in this forum. Asked how he was feeling after being hit by a flying puck in the right ear during a recent practice, Joseph said he was OK, but that his ability to hear clearly had been affected. After describing exactly how at length, Joseph paused and then cracked: “But I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night, so I should be OK for the game.”
—David Vest

Coyotes report
Cheers
Goalie Curtis Joseph kept Phoenix close, for a while, by stopping San Jose’s first 21 shots.

Jeers
Coyotes center Jeremy Roenick committed a four-minute high-sticking penalty in the first period that San Jose parlayed into a goal and a lead that it never surrendered.

Our three stars
1. Joe Thornton, Sharks, three assists.
2. Patrick Marleau, Sharks, three assists.
3. Vesa Toskala, Sharks, 23 saves.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1212yotesnotes1212.html

Cujo keeps busy in Coyotes loss

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 12, 2006 12:00 AM

SAN JOSE - Curtis Joseph entered Monday’s game against San Jose with a ringing sound in his head, and by the time the first intermission rolled around, he likely had a tired neck, too.

The Sharks peppered the Coyotes goalie with 22 shots from all over the ice in the first period en route to a 4-0 victory at HP Pavilion, San Jose’s first triumph over the Coyotes on its home ice in the coach Wayne Gretzky era.

Joseph, who played the entire game despite suffering lingering effects from getting hit in the right ear by a teammate’s shot during practice Saturday, remained two victories shy of tying Jacques Plante for fifth place on the NHL’s list for all-time victories (437). He finished with 30 saves.

The shutout loss was Phoenix’s sixth in its first 29 games.

Mike Comrie had Phoenix’s best scoring chance, but San Jose goalie Vesa Toskala gloved Comrie’s shot from in close while planted on his backside.

The Coyotes, like they did Saturday vs. Dallas, committed five penalties in the first 20 minutes and twice had to defend five-on-three disadvantages.

San Jose forward Milan Michalek made them pay on the latter when he beat Joseph with a shot from the slot with 1:29 left for a 1-0 lead.

“Curtis was outstanding in the first period and we gave ourselves a chance to get back into the game,” Gretzky said. “But the reality was we had too many guys that didn’t play at the level we need to play at to compete against a good team such as the Sharks.”

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1212coyotes1212.html

1st period haunts ‘Yotes

Associated Press
Dec. 12, 2006 10:40 PM

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Kevin Bieksa and Jan Bulis scored 51 seconds apart midway through a four-goal first period, sparking the Vancouver Canucks to a 5-2 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday night.

Brendan Morrison and Mattias Ohlund also scored in the opening period for the Canucks, who scored 12 goals in three games after netting only five in the previous six contests.

Ryan Kesler added a goal in the second period, and Roberto Luongo made 28 saves as Vancouver extended its lose-one, win-one streak to eight games.

Oleg Saprykin and Dave Scatchard, on a breakaway with 38 seconds left, scored for the Coyotes, who lost on consecutive nights by a combined 9-2 to fall to an NHL-worst 3-12 on the road.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1212coyotes-ON.html

‘Yotes fail ‘to show up’ again

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 13, 2006 12:00 AM

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Most of Tuesday felt like it was “Ed Jovanovski Day” in this hockey hotbed as the longtime Canucks defenseman returned to play against his former team for the first time since signing with the Coyotes over the summer.

Before the game started, Jovanovski was the center of attention with the local media.

After the game started, Vancouver’s struggling offense stole the spotlight.

The Canucks, who entered their 31st game with the NHL’s lowest goals-per-game-average (2.17), scored four against Coyotes backup goalie Mikael Tellqvist in the first period, then coasted to a 5-2 victory at General Motors Place.

Five Canucks scored goals.

That corner the Coyotes seemingly turned when they won four of five games has led them into a brick wall; Tuesday’s defeat was their third in the past four nights.

“We didn’t deserve to win,” coach Wayne Gretzky said.

“They were better than we were. Again, we need more guys to show up. It’s as simple as that.”

Gretzky replaced Tellqvist, who allowed just seven goals in his first three games for Phoenix, with Curtis Joseph after 20 minutes, then replaced Joseph with Tellqvist at the start of the third period because Joseph suffered a minor leg injury.

As for Jovanovski, some fans booed him when he touched the puck, others cheered him.

“There was a pretty good response from most of the fans, and I appreciate that,” Jovanovski said after Phoenix’s embarrassing effort in his homecoming. “The other ones, whatever.”

The spectators cheered in unison when the final horn sounded,

Coyotes report
Cheers
Oleg Saprykin spoiled Vancouver’s bid for a shutout when he scored his seventh goal midway through the second period.

Jeers
Coyotes goalie Mikael Tellqvist gave up an extremely soft goal at 11:52 of the first period that gave Vancouver a 2-0 lead, and the rout was on.

Our three stars
1. Kevin Bieksa, Canucks, goal, assist.
2. Daniel Sedin, Canucks, 2 assists.
3. Henrik Sedin, Canucks, 2 assists.

View from the press box
The new scoreboard hovering over center ice inside General Motors GM Place is a beast. And it’s an expensive beast at that. Sources say the massive piece of equipment cost about $4.3 million. Given the Winter Olympics are coming to Vancouver in 2010, it seems like a sensible investment. But, as one Canucks reporter put it before the game, it’s too bad for Vancouver fans that the scoreboard is much more entertaining to look at than their low-scoring hockey team.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1213coyotes1213.html

Roenick angered by scratch

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 13, 2006 02:19 AM

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Coach Wayne Gretzky scratched center Jeremy Roenick from Tuesday’s game because of “back spasms.”

Roenick, who Gretzky said, spoke of back pain on the team flight after Monday’s game vs. San Jose, did not like Gretzky’s decision to bench him and abruptly left General Motors Place upon hearing the news a few hours before the game.

Roenick was not spotted in or around the Coyotes dressing room during the game, nor was he in it afterwards. “I just didn’t want to play a guy that was injured,” Gretzky said. “It’s as simple as that.”

Gretzky also said he was not aware of Roenick’s whereabouts during the game, nor did Gretzky seem to think it was a big deal.

Roenick, who is frustrated that he has only scored one goal in 28 games, also was angry when Gretzky scratched him on Nov. 30 because of an upper respiratory illness.

Familiar face
Coyotes players, coaches and staff members got to see an old acquaintance standing behind Vancouver’s bench Tuesday.

Rick Bowness, who served on Phoenix’s coaching staff for seven seasons, is in his first season as an associate coach with the Canucks.

“I love being back in Canada and that we have a real passionate following for the team,” Bowness said. “The pulse of this city revolves around this team. That’s nice to be around.”

Bowness is likely best remembered in Phoenix for the 20 games he served as interim head coach at the end of the 2003-04 season after Bob Francis was fired. The Coyotes won just two of those games.

Bowness also is remembered for being the team’s head coach during the NHL lockout and for eventually being replaced by Gretzky once Gretzky decided to give coaching a try in August 2005.

Gretzky kept Bowness on his staff for a season, but Bowness spent most of last year as the third associate coach behind Rick Tocchet and Barry Smith, and watched games from the press box instead of from behind the bench.

Asked if that bothered him, Bowness took the high road before Tuesday’s game.

“I missed being behind the bench,” Bowness said. “That’s about all I will say about that. I love that part of it.” Bowness added he has no hard feelings toward the Coyotes organization, and that he wishes his former team success.

“I would love to see Phoenix make the playoffs, but not ahead of us,” Bowness said. “In a perfect world, we’d both make the playoffs.”

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1213nucoytesnb1213.html

Roenick facing more than on-ice woes

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 14, 2006 12:00 AM

One goal and five assists in 28 games is not what Jeremy Roenick or the Coyotes had in mind when he signed a one-year contract worth $1.2 million to return to Phoenix in July.

But that’s been Roenick’s offensive contribution to the last-place Coyotes thus far.

Roenick, who ranks 10th on the franchise’s all-time goals list with 142, is in coach Wayne Gretzky’s doghouse because he bolted General Motors Place in Vancouver, for at least part of Tuesday’s game, after being scratched from the lineup because of a minor back injury.

There is no NHL rule that states a scratched player must stay at the arena in which the game is being played, and the Coyotes don’t have a team rule to that effect.

But multiple sources with the Coyotes, including Gretzky, said there is an unwritten rule among players that scratched players stay at the arena for the entire game out of respect for their teammates.

Roenick said he never heard of that unwritten rule.

“I was there, I was ready to play and I wished all my guys luck,” Roenick said. “I was in the locker room with them. I said, ‘Let’s go, let’s get ‘em’ . . . I was a rah-rah again, like I’ve been all year. I don’t think people should chastise me because I went to have dinner . . . It bothers me how the media is trying to create a stir or a controversy over nothing.”

Gretzky benched Roenick for tonight’s game against Columbus.

Asked on Wednesday when Roenick would play again, Gretzky said: “I’m not sure right now.”

Gretzky plans to speak to Roenick about the situation this morning.

Although several options may be presented to Roenick, Gretzky said he would not nudge Roenick, 36, toward retirement like he did Brett Hull last season.

Roenick has been thinking more and more about retirement lately, but vowed Wednesday to finish the season.

“I don’t agree with everything (that happened Tuesday), which is my prerogative, but I’m not going to retire in the middle of the year and quit on anybody,” he said.

Roenick wasn’t expected to be the elite scorer he was when he played for the Coyotes from 1996-2001.

But he was expected to chip in about 20 to 25 goals.

“I can’t control whether the puck goes in the net or not, or whether other guys put the puck in the net or not,” Roenick said. “Offensively, it’s been a struggle. But I think I’ve been skating as good as I have in years. I feel really strong in the skating aspect.”

Ice chips
Center Patrick Fischer aggravated a nagging mid-section injury during Tuesday’s game, and Gretzky said he could be sidelined until after Christmas.

• Goalie Curtis Joseph suffered a minor leg injury Tuesday and will not start tonight’s game.

• Mike Ricci, who has been a healthy scratch four of the past six games, will play tonight in Roenick’s place.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1214coyotesnb1214.html

‘Yotes might be done with Roenick

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 14, 2006 12:12 AM

The Coyotes might be finished with Jeremy Roenick.

Coach Wayne Gretzky said Roenick would not play in tonight’s game, and possibly more, because Roenick left General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Tuesday after learning he’d been scratched from the lineup because of a back injury a few hours before Phoenix’s 5-2 defeat.

Roenick said he watched at least part of the game while eating dinner in a restaurant in Vancouver, and he was not seen in the Coyotes dressing room after the game.

“I treat players like men and they should act like men,” Gretzky said Wednesday. “JR, all and all, has been pretty positive. But the reality is, last night he made a mistake. … There will be ramifications for what happened.”

Gretzky plans to inform Roenick he will be benched this morning and discuss his future with the team.

Asked when Roenick would be back in the lineup, Gretzky said: “I’m not sure right now.”

Meanwhile, Roenick on Wednesday said he felt he was healthy enough to play on Tuesday and that he left the arena because he did not want to face the media about being scratched. He also said he respected Gretzky’s decision, but that he did not regret leaving.

“I was at the game for part of the game and then I went for dinner,” Roenick said. “I don’t think there is anything wrong with going and having a nice dinner, having a beer and watching the hockey game. I don’t know why everybody is trying to create a stir or create a controversy.”

Roenick, whom Phoenix signed to a one-year contract worth $1.2 million in July, has scored just one goal in 28 games this season and his plus/minus ratio is -9.

Gretzky said center Mike Ricci would replace Roenick in the lineup tonight vs. Columbus at Jobing.com Arena as the Coyotes attempt to snap a three-game losing streak.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1214roenick-ON-CR.html

‘Yotes end Columbus’ streak in SO

Associated Press
Dec. 14, 2006 10:12 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Mike Comrie scored on the final attempt of the shootout to lift the Phoenix Coyotes to a 5-4 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night.

Fredrik Norrena appeared to make the initial save on Comrie’s low shot, but the puck trickled between his pads for the lone goal of the tiebreaker.

Mikael Tellqvist made 21 saves in regulation and stopped all three shootout attempts for the Coyotes, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

Comrie and Ed Jovanovski each had a goal and an assist, and Owen Nolan and Derek Morris also scored for the Coyotes, 3-0 in shootouts this season.

Rick Nash had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets. Sergei Fedorov, Anson Carter and David Vyborny also scored for Columbus, which had its five-game winning streak snapped.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1214coyotesgamer-ON.html

Und noch ein Artikel über JR von ESPN.com:

Jeremy Roenick has always existed in that gray area between emotional and infantile. Now, with his long and vocal career stuttering to an end in Phoenix, the tilt is definitely toward the infantile.

After Roenick, who is suffering from back spasms, was told by Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky that he would be scratched for Tuesday’s game in Vancouver, Roenick apparently left GM Place, had a beer and some dinner, and did not meet with the media after the game.

Worse than his defying protocol and leaving his team and teammates, Roenick appears to see nothing wrong with what he did, telling The Arizona Republic’s David Vest, “I don’t think there is anything wrong with going and having a nice dinner, having a beer and watching the hockey game. I don’t know why everybody is trying to create a stir or create a controversy.”

Roenick, who was a self-proclaimed embarrassment last season in Los Angeles, has been treated exceptionally well by the Coyotes this season, especially given that Roenick’s hands have deserted him and he has been reduced to a third-line checker and member of the team’s second power-play unit.

Although it was imagined he might make a significant contribution to the team’s offense when he was signed as a free agent in the offseason, Roenick has six points and is minus-9 in 28 games.

A source familiar with the situation told ESPN.com that part of the problem is that Roenick wants to play when he’s hurt, something he has done throughout his 1,210-game career. But he can’t contribute that way, and Gretzky wants a healthy Roenick in the lineup or no Roenick at all. The source said that point was reiterated to Roenick during a Thursday meeting with team brass and J.R. has told the team he will toe the company line. He also accepted another benching Thursday, a message from Gretzky for Roenick’s dinner outing. Roenick is expected to be back in the lineup Saturday night vs. Calgary.

One would think that if Roenick can’t act right for Gretzky, then his act has worn itself out. As for anyone thinking Roenick might be attractive to a contending team looking to add some depth come the trade deadline in late February, these are the kinds of stunts that make GMs put their phones down for good.

Quelle: http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?page=notebook_1215

Und aktuelles von der East Valley Tribune:

Roenick says he’ll retire at end of season 

By Matt Paulson, Tribune
December 13, 2006
Jeremy Roenick can see the sun is quickly approaching its setting point on his long, illustrious, controversial and always entertaining career. “End of the (NHL) year, absolutely (I’ll retire),” Roenick said Wednesday at the airport in Vancouver before the Coyotes headed home following their 0-2 road trip.

“The way it seems to be going right now, I don’t think anybody would want to give me another chance to tell you the truth.”

After Roenick stormed out of General Motors Place before Tuesday’s game upon learning he would be scratched due to back spasms, he could be out of chances with the Coyotes as well.

“I think reality is (Tuesday) night he made a mistake,” said coach Wayne Gretzky, who announced he is holding Roenick out of tonight’s game in favor of Mike Ricci.

“I’m not disappointed with him because J.R. is a very emotional young man, and he’s a good person, but what he did last night wasn’t right.”

Gretzky wouldn’t call his decision a punishment for Roenick, but added, “There will be ramifications for what happened.”

Asked when Roenick might play again, if ever, Gretzky said, “I don’t know, but it won’t be (to)night. I’ve got one of two guys to put in: him or Mike Ricci. I’m going to put Ricci in.”

Ricci, 35, like Roenick, is in the twilight of his career. He has been a healthy scratch in four of the past six games but has continued to work hard in practice and hasn’t complained about his diminished role.

“I think I would lose respect from my players if I played one guy over the other. I really do,” said Gretzky, who plans to sit down with Roenick this morning.

Roenick, 36 and in his 18th season, started suffering back spasms in the second period of Monday’s game. After receiving treatment Tuesday morning, Roenick said he felt good enough to play, but Gretzky opted to rest him.

“He was legitimately hurt,” the coach said. “He could hardly get through the game in San Jose. If he were 21 years old and had 25 goals, then yeah, you throw him in the lineup. Reality is — and nobody likes to face it — he’s not 21 years old and he doesn’t have 30 goals right now, so I was giving him a break and a night off to rest his back, to regroup and come back.”

Roenick, who has been on his best behavior all season and “unreal” in the locker room, Gretzky said, is averaging 15:24 of ice time in 28 games but has just one goal, five assists and is a minus-9.

“They told me to take the night off, so I did,” said Roenick, who said he ended up at a local restaurant. “… Was I angry? Was I disappointed? Absolutely.…
“(But) I don’t think there’s anything wrong with going and having a nice dinner, having a beer and watching a hockey game.”

After dinner, Roenick said he returned to the rink for a time but left before he could be spotted by the media.

“I kept myself where I wasn’t going to get myself into any trouble,” he said.
Nobody from the Coyotes knew of his whereabouts during the game, and Gretzky said Roenick broke the unwritten rule that states players who aren’t playing stay for the game.

Roenick said he was unfamiliar with the rule.

“What, do you give your support from the press box? Give support with pom-poms from the press box?” said Roenick, who also voiced displeasure when he was scratched Nov. 30 against Los Angeles because he had missed the previous three days of practice due to an upper respiratory illness.

“We’re not allowed to go into the locker room in between periods and tell the guys what they’re doing wrong or cheer the guys on. We’re not allowed to be around the guys during game action.…

“There’s nothing that a player that’s not playing can do. If anything, they want players that are not playing away because it’s a distraction.”

But by leaving, that is exactly what Roenick’s bruised ego led him to become.

“Obviously I’m a proud guy,” he said. “I’ve worked my ass off this year. Obviously I can’t get a break to save my life offensively. I feel I’ve worked hard, and I will continue to work hard. So it frustrates me when you want to play, and you think you can play, but you don’t play.”

When he plays again remains to be seen. Roenick said with the exception of his point production and the team’s record (11-18-1), he is pleased with his play and happy to be in Phoenix, so “I’m not going to retire in the middle of the year and quit on anybody.”

Nor are the Coyotes planning to push him out.

“I’m never going to tell him to do anything (regarding his career),” Gretzky said. “I have too much respect for what he’s done for the game and how much he loves the game.”

For now, Roenick might just have to watch his beloved game from inside the rink.

Quelle: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=80575

Roenick, Gretzky meeting clears air 

By Matt Paulson, Tribune
December 14, 2006
Jeremy Roenick is back in the Coyotes’ good graces. And he’ll be back in the lineup starting Saturday.

Roenick and coach Wayne Gretzky “cleared the air” Thursday morning during a 20-minute meeting which also involved Roenick’s agent and a few others from the Coyotes’ front office.

“We talked about obviously the past few days and then moving forward here,” said Gretzky, who held Roenick out of Thursday’s game as a “ramification” of his decision to leave General Motors Place in Vancouver on Tuesday upon learning he would be scratched due to his back spasms.

“I kind of understood where he was coming from in a sense that he’s got a lot of pride, cares about playing and still wanted to be part of the team and playing every night. We just explained to him the team’s position in that he was hurt, and it was a good night to rest him.…

“Moving forward here, it’s pretty much status quo.”

Roenick, who watched part of Tuesday’s game from a restaurant before returning to the rink, said he was happy with the meeting.

“It was a good heart to heart,” he said. “I think both sides know where each other stands. That’s the way it should be.”

Roenick took issue with the media’s coverage of events, referring to them as “vultures” for “nitpicking at stupid (expletive) things like they always do.…

“As much as people want to say I left the team, I went to (expletive) have dinner. Wake up.”

But the one-time go-to scorer, who has just one goal and five assists in 28 games this season, later acknowledged, “As you get older you have to accept different roles and responsibilities” and that the most important thing is “I’ve been committed to this team since the beginning. It doesn’t matter whether I play, whether I don’t play.”

The fallout from Tuesday’s events produced a much larger media gathering than normal for a morning skate, but captain Shane Doan said he didn’t see all the extra attention as a distraction.

“It’s different circumstances because it is J.R.… But you know what? It’s really nothing,” he said. “It’s not a big deal amongst the guys.”

After Gretzky said Wednesday he didn’t know when he would play his aging superstar again, there was speculation that the 36-year-old’s days with the club were numbered. However, Gretzky said Thursday Roenick would “for sure” be in Saturday’s lineup and added he hoped Roenick would stay with the Coyotes after his playing days.

“As I said to him, down the road here we’d love to have him part of our organization,” he said.

Quelle: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=80641

Coyotes stop Blue Jackets in shootout victory 

By Mike Tulumello, Tribune
December 14, 2006
In looking at the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Coyotes would like to see themselves. The Blue Jackets were among the NHL’s bottom-feeding teams in the season’s first few weeks. Now they’re among the game’s hottest teams.

That’s one reason the Coyotes’ 5-4 shootout win Thursday night over the Blue Jackets at Jobing.com Arena was so big.

Not only did they break the Jackets’ five-game winning streak, they got their crucial four-game homestand off to the necessary start.

Coyotes executive Cliff Fletcher had suggested this week that the Coyotes, 12-18-1, needed to get seven points of the possible eight to give themselves a realistic shot at staying in the playoff race.

The Coyotes won the shootout when — after five straight skaters failed to score _ Jacket goalie Fredrik Norrena partially stopped Mike Comrie’s shot only to have the puck slide over the goal line.

“Barely,” said coach Wayne Gretzky, noting the puck didn’t even hit the back of the net.

“We got lucky.”

Comrie said, “I just tried to get him to move a little bit.… left to right. It didn’t go in clean, but it trickled past the line.”

A loss would have been a near disaster, particularly in the way they lost a 4-2 lead in the second period.

The Coyotes nearly came undone after they gave up a short-handed goal.

Superstar Sergei Federov scored on a breakaway when the Coyotes’ Ed Jovanovski got caught too far up the ice.

That cut the Coyotes’ lead to 4-3.

Moments later, the Blue Jackets tied it when David Vyborny knocked home a goal from out front.

“We’re a little disappointed in the short-handed goal,” Gretzky said. “It gave them a little momentum.

“But otherwise, our special teams were pretty good.”

A loss “would have been very tough,” captain Shane Doan said. “But you have to give them credit for battling back.”

In the shootout, the Jackets’ Vyborny, Rick Nash and Federov couldn’t solve goaltender Mikael Tellqvist. The Coyotes’ Yanic Perreault and Mike Zigomanis also failed to score.

Tellqvist also came up with a huge glove save in overtime on a shot in front by Alexander Svitov.

“Goaltending comes down to make key saves at opportune times,” Gretzky said. “And that’s what Tellqvist did tonight.”

But the truth be told, on the amazing overtime save, Tellqvist admitted Lady Luck was in the net with him.

“I hate to say it, but I was out of position. Fortunately, it went in my glove.

“It looked good but it was more luck than anything.”

The teams were tied 1-1 heading into the second period when the Coyotes’ Owen Nolan scored his 150th career point on a short-handed goal.

After the Jackets’ Rick Nash tied the game 2-2, Mike Comrie broke the tie on a rebound of a Ladislav Nagy shot, then Jovanovski grabbed a loose puck in front of the net and scored to give the Coyotes their 4-2 lead.

But it disappeared quickly.

JONES CALLED UP

The Coyotes recalled defenseman Matt Jones from San Antonio.

Jones, now in his second stint with the club, played 19 minutes. Previously he had a goal and two assists in 10 games.

The move means the Coyotes will carry defensemen “and see what happens,” Gretzky said.

“We wanted to bring Matt back,” Gretzky said. “That’s the bottom line.”

Asked if this move is a wake-up call for somebody, he said. “No. I just think it will be good for our team that he’s here.”

Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg was healthy scratch.

LOOSE PUCKS

Suns guard Steve Nash took in the game along with his parents.… The Jackets were 0 for 5 on the power play; the Coyotes were 2 for 9.

Quelle: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=80637

Nolan starting to show flashes of past form 
By Matt Paulson, Tribune
December 16, 2006
At only 34, Owen Nolan is already sporting a gray beard. After he spent two years away from the NHL due to two major knee surgeries, there were those who thought he would play like a graybeard upon his return as well.

But after a slow start to this season – two points in the first nine games – the Coyotes right winger has picked up his production of late and erased any doubts he still belongs in the NHL.

While he’s not the same force he was during his peak in San Jose, where he once registered a 44-goal, 84-point season, Nolan still plays with much of the same aggressiveness and grit that helped make him a five-time All-Star.

“He plays hard, and he’s still a great goal scorer, the same as he was before,” said center Mike Ricci, also a teammate of Nolan’s for four seasons in Quebec/Colorado and six in San Jose.

Nolan has been asked to take on more of defensive role. “He’s been one of our most reliable penalty killers,” Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky said – but is starting to become a regular contributor on the offensive end with eight points in the last 14 games.

That has quietly put him on pace for 19 goals and 40 points. Not bad considering he averaged 25 goals and 51 points during his previous seven seasons.

“He’s quite an amazing story because nobody anticipated the level of play he’d be playing at,” Gretzky said.

Nolan, though, said it’s too early to call his return a success.

“I’m still not at the level I want to be at, and I feel I can still achieve that,” he said.

“There was definitely some rust there. I think I’m coming out of it as of the last couple weeks. The opportunities are there. I’m finding my timing is getting a lot better. Hopefully, I’ll get hot here and get on a roll.”

Nolan’s accuracy and laser-like shot have returned as well. He displayed both Thursday when he drove down the right side on a short-handed breakaway, then beat Columbus goalie Fredrik Norrena high with a blast from just inside the blue line.

“That’s his patented move,” said goalie Mikael Tellqvist, who also played with him in Toronto. “I think he’s done that in San Jose hundreds and hundreds of times. He did that in Toronto, too. It’s hard to stop that shot because it’s really hard and really accurate.”

“As he gets more confidence, he’ll let that shot go more,” Ricci added.

Nolan said it was a relief to finally score from that spot on the ice.

“I’ve had a couple down the wing this season already (which were) nowhere close to scoring, so it was nice to see that one go in,” he said.

The goal was the 750th point of his 15-year career.

“I guess if you play long enough, you’ll get that mark,” Nolan said with a chuckle.

If he continues to perform as he has of late, Nolan is sure to hit a few more marks as well.

Flames at Coyotes
When: 7 p.m. today
Where: Jobjing.com Arena
TV: None
Radio: KDUS (1060 AM)
Records: Calgary 15-11-3, Phoenix 12-18-1
Line: Calgary 125-145
Series history: Phoenix dropped the season’s first meeting 6-1 on Oct. 24, trails 59-67-20-0 all time but is 35-26-11-0 at home.

Scouting report: Flames – Like the Coyotes, Calgary has been a Jekylland-Hyde team, great at home (10 straight wins) but awful on the road, where it has lost its past five. Forward Jerome Iginla is tied for fifth in the league in goals with 18 and also has 19 assists. Goalie Miikka Kiprusoff is tied for first in the NHL in shutouts (four) and is third in goals-against average (2.08) and save percentage (.928). Defenseman Rhett Warrener (leg) is day-to-day and forwards Marcus Nilson (knee) and Stephane Yelle (broken leg) are sidelined indefinitely.

Coyotes – Phoenix has earned 13 of a possible 14 points over its last seven home games, and with four of the next six at Jobing.com Arena, can make up some ground in the standings if it can continue that trend. With Thursday’s 5-4 victory over Columbus, the Coyotes sport the league’s best record (3-0) in shootouts. Goalie Curtis Joseph (groin) practiced Friday but still isn’t 100 percent, so Mikael Tellqvist will make his third straight start. Patrick Fischer (groin) isn’t expected back until after Christmas.

Quelle: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=80698

Und zu guter letzt gibt es dann noch den Game Day Thread von HFBoards hier.

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NHL: Seltsamer Treffer führt zur Niederlage

10.12.2006 von Coyote.

Sie kämpften sich zurück nach einem 0:2 und 1:3 Rückstand, lieferten Dallas endlich ein ausgeglichenes Spiel, Mike Comrie feierte sein Comeback und Mikael Tellqvist sicherte 40 Schüsse. Trotzdem stand es am Ende 4:3 für Dallas - aber erst nach Verlängerung, d.h. immerhin einen Punkt gegen Dallas geholt.

Mike Comire erzielte bei seinem Comeback einen Assist, die Tore für Phoenix erzielten Jovanovski, Nolan und Zigomanis. Die Niederlage besiegelte Jere Lehtinen mit einem doch recht setsamen Treffer wie man den Artikeln entnehmen kann. Schade, aber an Niederlagen gegen Dallas gewöhnt man sich so langsam.

ESPN: Boxscore Recap

Das schreibt AZCentral.com:

Comrie eager to play
Center set to return from 5-week absence

Jim Gintonio and David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 9, 2006 12:00 AM

Days turned into weeks - and they seemed like months to Mike Comrie.

The Coyotes center, out 14 games with a fractured right foot, is expected to return tonight as his team tries to solve the mystery of the Dallas Stars, against whom they are 0-3 this season without a goal.

“I’m glad to be skating again,” Comrie said Friday. “It’s been a long five weeks.”

Comrie has been skating hard since he got the OK to return to the ice. He says he feels good but can’t make a final determination on how things are going until he gets into a game. He said he and coach Wayne Gretzky have not discussed playing time.

Sitting out, he said, isn’t much fun.

“Mentally, it’s frustrating because you want to be on the ice helping the team and trying to help win hockey games,” he said.

Comrie believes the team, still in last place in the Pacific Division, is playing hard as a group and working together.

Tellqvist back in goal
Goalie Mikael Tellqvist, whose effort helped the Coyotes to a 2-1 shootout victory over Chicago on Thursday, will start tonight.

“It’s great when a guy comes in and gives the players the confidence he’s given our group of guys,” Gretzky said after the game. “It’s really been a boost for our team. He and Curtis (Joseph) seem to have something pretty nice going right now, which is a really positive step for our hockey team.”

In the victory over the Blackhawks, Tellqvist made 30 saves through three periods and overtime, and came up big in the shootout.

Shooting blanks
The Coyotes have been shut out three times this season by Dallas, twice by goalie Marty Turco and once by backup Mike Smith, who blanked Phoenix in his NHL debut.

“They’re so disciplined in their system and their great goaltender are the toughest things,” Coyotes defenseman Keith Ballard said. “They don’t give you much. So far they have our number. We need to get good second and third opportunities because Turco can usually see the first one, and if he sees it he’s going to stop it. And he stops a lot of them that he doesn’t see.”

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1209yoteNB1209.html

‘Yotes lose heartbreaker in OT

Associated Press
Dec. 9, 2006 10:10 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz.- Jere Lehtinen scored the winning goal with 4.6 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Dallas Stars a 4-3 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday night.

The goal, Lehtinen’s second of the game, stood up after a dispute and a video review.

During a goal mouth scramble with time expiring, Lehtinen appeared to knock the puck in the net with his stick above his right shoulder Referee Tom Kowat, after consulting with replay officials, declared the goal good and Dallas skated off with its fifth straight victory over Phoenix, spanning two seasons.

Phoenix came from two goals behind in early in the second period to eventually tie the game.

With Dallas leading 3-2, Mike Zigomanis got the Coyotes even when he knocked in Ladislav Nagy’s shot from the right circle at 7:46 of the third period.

Though the Coyotes had the early territorial edge, Dallas scored two power-play goals in the first period.

Lehtinen converted a centering pass from Jussi Jokinen to beat Phoenix goalie Milkael Tellqvist at 8:48. Dallas struck again with the man advantage when Jokinen took Lehtinen’s pass and redirected the puck in at 12:11.

The Coyotes, shut out in their first three games against the Stars this season, finally scored when defenseman Ed Jovanovski’s shot from the left point found its way through traffic and got behind goalie Marty Turco at 13:37.

The team traded second-period goals.

The Stars made it 3-1 when Niklas Hagman drove Jovanovski off the puck behind the Phoenix net, circled in front, and beat Tellqvist with a backhander in close just 42 seconds into the period.

The Coyotes cut the margin to 3-2 as Owen Nolan, off a feed Jeremy Roenick, beat Turco with a wrist shot as he crashed down the slot at 6:37.

Notes: Stars forwards Mike Modano, Brenden Morrow and Eric Lindros sat out with injuries. … Phoenix allowed 31 shots in the first two periods. The crowd of 15,320 was only the fifth for Phoenix this season above 15,000. The Coyotes have not sold out a home game this season.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1209coyotes-ON.html

Ballard doesn’t let injury affect his ‘D’

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 10, 2006 12:00 AM

Keith Ballard entered Saturday’s game vs. Dallas with zero goals and just two assists.

Asked why his offensive stats have dropped significantly from his rookie year when he notched eight goals and 31 assists, his polite response, paraphrased, was talk to the hand.

His injured right hand, that is.

“It’s still sore,” Ballard said after Saturday’s morning skate. “Since I’ve been back, I’m just starting to feel good maybe the last two games. I wasn’t that comfortable handling the puck right when I came back.”

Multiple bones in Ballard’s hand were fractured during the third game of the season when he blocked a slap shot by Columbus center Manny Malhotra. Ballard had surgery a few days later and missed the next 11 games.

When he returned Nov. 9, his hand was heavily taped and his glove had an extra piece of leather sewn onto it.

“My hand is very bulky in the glove and I had to use a lot bigger knob (on his stick),” Ballard said. “I definitely had chances to shoot more, but I was a little more reluctant to shoot because I didn’t have the best control of the puck . . . Obviously, everyone wants to get points. But for me, I just want to contribute somehow and I think I’m finding ways to do that.”

Ballard’s offensive stats are down also because he is not getting as much power-play time as he did last season thanks to newcomer Ed Jovanovski.

Ballard’s defensive stats are up, however.

Last year, he finished a team-worst minus-18. In his first 16 games this season, Ballard’s plus/minus ratio was zero.

“If I get some scoring chances without putting myself in jeopardy defensively, then I’ll take them,” Ballard said. “I definitely know I’m a better player when I’m jumping into the play and trying to use that offensive part of my game, but you have to find a medium somewhere.”

Coach Wayne Gretzky has been using Ballard plenty to kill penalties, especially five-on-three disadvantages, and has been placing him on the ice against opponents’ key lines.

“He’s just a treat to coach,” Gretzky said. “He plays with his heart every night. I’m not worried about him scoring. I know he’s going to get his goals here and there. Defensively, he’s just been tremendous.”

Cujo hit by puck, OK
Goalie Curtis Joseph was struck in the right ear by a teammate’s shot during Saturday’s morning skate.

Joseph was checked out by the medical staff and given the OK to dress for the game and fly with the team to San Jose today. He is slated to start vs. the Sharks on Monday.

Ice chips
Center Mike Ricci was a healthy scratch for the third time in the past four games.

• Left wing Josh Gratton also was scratched.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1210coyotesnb.html

Weird bounce, penalties sink ‘Yotes

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 10, 2006 12:00 AM

The Coyotes officially lost Saturday night’s game against the Dallas Stars on a fluke goal by Jere Lehtinen with 4.6 seconds left in overtime.

But five Phoenix penalties in the first period clearly were the difference in the game.

The Stars, playing without key scorers Mike Modano, Brenden Morrow and Eric Lindros, converted two of their first-period power plays into goals en route to their 4-3 victory at Jobing.com Arena.

Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky called all five Phoenix penalties in the first period “legitimate.”

He was being kind to his players.

“We shot ourselves in the foot,” Gretzky said. “Physically and mentally, we weren’t as prepared to start the game as they were.”

Dallas led 2-1 after one period and 3-2 after two, but Mike Zigomanis evened the score when he beat Stars goalie Marty Turco on a power play with 12:14 left in regulation.

Ed Jovanovski and Owen Nolan also scored for the Coyotes, whose home winning streak ended at five games.

Dallas shut Phoenix out the first three times it played the Coyotes, but Jovanovski ended the goal drought when he fired a slap shot past Turco with 6:27 left in the first period.

The Coyotes appeared destined for their second consecutive shootout, but it wasn’t to be.

With time winding down in overtime, Lehtinen fired a backhanded shot at Coyotes goalie Mikael Tellqvist, who, despite the outcome, played his third consecutive solid game for Phoenix. The puck hit Tellqvist’s right leg pad, then hit his left shoulder, then popped above his head, hit off the back of his helmet and dropped into the goal.

“It’s just a bad break,” said Tellqvist, who made 40 saves. “At least we got a point.”

Jovanovski agreed.

“It was nice to battle back,” Jovanovski said. “We felt going into the third period it was a very winnable game for us. It’s unfortunate. . . . We can’t let that get us down right now, we feel like we’re making strides. There’s nothing we can do about it; that was just a bad break.”

Turco made 28 saves to beat Phoenix for the third time this season.

Coyotes report
Cheers
Center Mike Comrie returned after missing 14 games because of a broken bone in his right foot and notched an assist on Phoenix’s first goal.

Jeers
Phoenix won 26 of 60 faceoffs.

Our three stars
1. Jere Lehtinen, Stars, two goals, one assist.
2. Jeff Halpern, Stars, assist, five shots, won 12 of 17 face-offs.
3. Mikael Tellqvist, Coyotes, 40 saves.

View from the press box
Mike Zigomanis, who started the season as the fourth-line center, has quickly and quietly become a key contributor to Phoenix’s offense. Zigomanis has scored three goals in the past five games. That’s the same number of goals he entered the season with after playing in 59 NHL games in over the past three seasons.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1210yotesplug1210.html

Bild des Spiels:

Gut zurück gekommen und am Ende einen Punkt geholt - das ist ok.

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NHL: Sieg gegen Chicago!

8.12.2006 von Coyote.

Na also: der Niederlage gegen Dallas folgte ein Sieg gegen Chicago - zwar erst nach Shootout, aber ein Sieg ist ein Sieg ist ein Sieg ist ein Sieg.

Das Tor zum 1:1 erzielte Ed Jovanovski.

ESPN: Boxscore Recap

Das schreibt AZCentral.com:

Coyotes top Hawks in shootout

Associated Press
Dec. 7, 2006 09:33 PM

CHICAGO - Shane Doan and Michael Zigomanis, the Coyotes’ fifth and sixth shooters, scored in the shootout to give the Coyotes a 2-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.

Ed Jovanovski scored in regulation for Phoenix, which won for the fourth time in five games.

Tuomo Ruutu, Chicago’s fifth shooter, was the first player to connect in the shootout. But Zigomanis scored in the bottom of the frame.

After Chicago’s Radim Vrbata was stopped by Phoenix goalie Michael Tellqvist, Doan beat Nikolai Khabibulin with a sweeping move.

Karl Stewart had a short-handed goal in regulation for Chicago. The Blackhawks are 3-0-2 under Denis Savard, who took over as head coach on Nov. 27.

Chicago’s Khabibulin made 34 saves.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1207coyotes-ON.html

Coyotes scratch veteran Ricci again

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 8, 2006 12:00 AM

CHICAGO - Center Patrick Fischer was back in the lineup Thursday after a one-game break to rest a strained groin muscle.

Fischer’s return landed 15-year veteran Mike Ricci on the healthy-scratch list for the second time in the past three games. In the one game he’s played this week, Ricci logged just 4:59 of ice time.

Observers are starting to wonder if the Coyotes are starting to ease Ricci, 35, out of their plans.

“First of all, he’s got too much respect from the coaching staff and the organization (for that),” coach Wayne Gretzky said. “We would never try to ease him out by any means. But at this point in time, I think I’m making the right decision. I would not expect him to agree with me because he shouldn’t. At this point in time that’s just my decision.”

Gretzky often jokes about Ricci’s lack of speed, but it is a factor.

“He missed a lot of training camp, he missed a lot of off-season workouts,” Gretzky said. “So it’s not really a question of him playing poorly, it’s more a question of he hasn’t had the ability to get a lot of ice time and he hasn’t had time to get into the condition the other guys are at in my estimation. So, I’m not in a panic situation here with Mike. It’s more we need to get him up to speed and up to the level we know he’s capable of.”

The Coyotes are paying Ricci $1.52 million this season. He has one assist in five games after missing the first 20 because of a neck injury he suffered in the off-season.

Ricci worked hard to get ready for the season after having surgery in June, but he is not pouting about his lack of playing time.

“No one owes you anything in this game,” Ricci said of his rehabilitation efforts. “I did that because I wanted to continue to play. I wanted to try to get back and I had to do that just to get back to even close to playing.”

Asked if he’d be content to stay with the Coyotes if Gretzky continued to scratch him regularly, Ricci said that it didn’t sound like much fun.

“Nobody wants to sit around and just watch,” he said. ” . . . I don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s out of my control. Whatever happens will happen. I’m just going to try and stay as positive as I can.”

Ice chips
Defenseman Travis Roche suffered a concussion when he was hit by Chicago center Tuomo Ruutu late in the first period and did not play after that.

• Prospect Martin Hanzal was picked to play for the Czech Republic’s entry in the upcoming World Junior Championships in Sweden.

The Coyotes selected Hanzal with the 17th overall choice in the 2005 NHL Draft.

• Coyotes players voted second-year defenseman Keith Ballard to be their representative for the NHL Players Association.

• Saturday’s game vs. Dallas will be broadcast on KZON-FM (101.5) instead of KDUS-AM (1060).

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1208yotesnb.html

Coyotes pick up rare road win

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 8, 2006 12:00 AM

CHICAGO - Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky and Blackhawks coach Denis Savard combined to score 1,367 goals in their NHL careers.

If only their teams had such offensive skills.

Phoenix beat Chicago 2-1 in a shootout Thursday night at the United Center in a game dominated by goaltending.

Of the 12 skaters who took a turn in the shootout, only three beat the goalies.

With the Coyotes down 1-0 in the shootout, Mike Zigomanis and Shane Doan beat former Phoenix goalie Nikolai Khabibulin on consecutive shots.

Doan skated hard at Khabibulin, then slid right and tipped the puck past his former teammate. “I think I’ve shot five-hole on him every single time I’ve ever shot on him on a breakaway, so I knew I couldn’t go there,” Doan half-joked.

Mikael Tellqvist made 30 saves before the shootout and earned his second victory with Phoenix. Khabibulin stopped 34 shots for Chicago before the shootout.

The extra point Phoenix earned is critical for a team with just three road victories. “It’s nice to go all the way back on the three-hour flight with a victory under our belts,” Gretzky said.

Chicago’s Karl Stewart scored on a short-handed breakaway in the first period. The Coyotes matched it in the second period on Ed Jovanovski’s fifth goal.

Coyotes report
Cheers
The Coyotes killed two five-on-three disadvantages, including 52 seconds’ worth late in third period.

Jeers
With the game tied at 1, Coyotes enforcer Georges Laraque was whistled for charging with 3:40 left in regulation.

Our three stars
1. Mikael Tellqvist, Coyotes, 30 saves plus five in shootout.
2. Nikolai Khabibulin, Blackhawks, 34 saves plus four in shootout.
3. Mike Zigomanis, Coyotes, key goal in shootout.

View from the press box
The Coyotes arrived in frigid Chicago early Thursday morning and it showed in the first period. Phoenix defenders were a step slow early on and Chicago was able to put together a handful of odd-man rushes at goalie Mikael Tellqvist. Frankly, Phoenix was lucky Chicago scored only once in the first 20 minutes.

Quelle: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1208yotesgamer1208.html

Bild des Spiels:

Hier scheitert Doan noch an Khabibulin - im Shootout nicht!

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