Oct. 7, 2022 | 7 pm MST | Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia
TV: None | Radio: None
The NHL regular season is quickly approaching.
Just two games remain on the Arizona Coyotes’ preseason schedule, including tonight’s contest in Vancouver. The Coyotes (0-4-1) have lost by just one goal in four of their five games played, consistently showing resilience by battling back in games. Their goals-for per game of 2.6 ranks fifth in the Central Division, ahead of the Colorado Avalanche (2.16), Dallas Stars (2.16) and Chicago Blackhawks (1.2).
Arizona’s relentless style of play was truly evident in its most recent game against the Vegas Golden Knights, in which the Coyotes outshot Vegas 28-5 in the second period, and 53-28 overall.
“It’s tough to be better than we were (in the second period),” head coach André Tourigny said after Tuesday’s game. “When I talk about the pace, the pressure we put on them, the reload we had, we crashed the net really well, we had good goalie presence, so I think that was a really good period.”
Forward Barrett Hayton has led the way for Arizona with six points (2G, 4A) in just three preseason games. Matias Maccelli, Dylan Guenther, and Christian Fischer are each tied for second with three points apiece.
Arizona’s 35.7 power-play percentage leads all teams this preseason.
The Coyotes play their final preseason game on Saturday against the Golden Knights in Boise, Idaho. Puck drop is scheduled for 5 pm MST.
Player to Watch: Fischer is second on the team with three points despite only appearing in two games this preseason. Also keep an eye on forward Boko Imama, who may make his first appearance of the NHL preseason tonight.
ABOUT THE CANUCKS
The Canucks (1-3-2) recently won their first game of the preseason after defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 on Wednesday, and are led by former Coyote Conor Garland’s six points in four games. Forwards Elias Pettersson and Andrei Kuzmenko rounded out the top three scorers with five and four points, respectively.
Friday’s game marks Vancouver’s final preseason game before it opens play at Edmonton on Oct. 12.
Goalies Spencer Martin and Thatcher Demko are projected to play in net for Vancouver. Martin is 1-0 with a .870 save percentage and 3.60 goals-against average, while Demko is 0-1 with a GAA of 2.41 and SV% of .907.
Martin appeared in six games with the Canucks last season, posting a 3-0-3 record with a 1.74 GAA and .950 SV%. The 27-year-old was drafted 63rd overall by Colorado in the 2013 NHL Draft. Demko, meanwhile, has played 136 career NHL games, all with Vancouver. He has a career record of 67-53-11 with a 2.84 GAA and .912 SV%.
Players to Watch: Two former Coyotes are likely to hit the ice tonight: Garland and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Garland played in 164 games over three seasons in the desert, while Ekman-Larsson, who was Arizona’s captain from 2018-19 – 2020-21, played 769 total games as a Coyote. Both were traded to Vancouver in July 2021 for Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel, and the No. 9 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft (Guenther).
The Coyotes open regular season play next Thursday, Oct. 13, in Pittsburgh.
.