When Arizona Coyotes goalie Mike Smith met with reporters last Thursday during media day, he constantly talked about consistency.
After all, Arizona is a team that stumbled through the final weeks of last season and missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for the second consecutive year.
For Smith, coach Dave Tippett and the rest of the players, there is now a firm stability to reach. That means playing a full 60 minutes of championship hockey each night, displaying a stronger than usual defense during the final minute of a period and making sure the puck moves in a swift and efficient manner.
All of which may be easier to wish for than accomplish.
“Look, the consistency needs to be better,” Smith told reporters. “That’s how we have to think. We have to play our best and smartest hockey every night.”
Here, at the advent of training camp, it’s a given the Coyotes will not be a high-scoring team. In that regard, defense and goaltending takes on a greater importance. Not that defense and solid goalkeeping were not essentials to victory prior, but now, the Coyotes need to be more vigilant in ex ...
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Article written by Mark Brown
Arizona Coyotes Looking for Consistent Hockey
September 21st, 2014 by Mark Brown Leave a reply »
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