If the Phoenix Coyotes expect to qualify for postseason play, they need to learn to play with "the big boys."
That means acquiring the education "to put teams away," and maintain leads until the final buzzer.
Through the All-Star Game, the Coyotes' inconsistent game remains as troubling as their penchant to tease Phoenix fans. Just when the team strings a few wins together, they find ways not to play a complete game, can't quite go the distance in the 60-minute marathon on ice, and tend to lose leads late in games.
In the first game after the All-Star break, the Coyotes had a three-goal lead at San Jose and that melted as fast as an ice cream cone in the torrid Phoenix summer. The Sharks proceeded to score five unanswered tallies, and skated off with a 5-3 win. In their 13th back-to-back set of the season, the Coyotes returned to Jobing.com Arena Feb. 2, the next night, to face the Vancouver Canucks, leading the NHL in standing points.
In a continued show of ineptitude, the Coyotes proceeded to drop a 6-0 decision to the Canucks before 13,157 at Jobing.com Arena. For the 60 minutes of play, they were limited to 23 shots on the Vancou ...
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Article written by Mark Brown
Phoenix Coyotes: In the Drive for a Playoff Spot, They Need To Put Teams Away
February 2nd, 2011 by Mark Brown Leave a reply »
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