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Ducks-Coyotes Preview

 
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By Dave Vest
GLENDALE – The Coyotes will play the Anaheim Ducks for the final time this season tonight at Jobing.com Arena. The puck drops at 6 p.m. (Arizona time).

Phoenix (38-22-5) will enter the game with momentum after posting a dramatic 3-1 victory over Colorado on Thursday, one day after making seven trades and acquiring five NHL players. In that game, newcomers Lee Stempniak and Wojtek Wolski scored goals. Wolski's goal came with 23 seconds left and snapped a 1-1 tie. Two other players, Derek Morris and Petteri Nokelainen, also made their debuts with the Coyotes on Thursday after being acquired via trades on Wednesday.

"I like our group now and we have to find ways to get everybody together and keep pushing forward and get into the playoffs," Head Coach Dave Tippett said.

Tonight's game is the sixth and final matchup between these Pacific Division rivals. Phoenix has won three of the first five games, including both games played at Jobing.com Arena.

Coyotes defenseman Ed Jovanovski, who missed Thursday's game because of an upper-body injury, is expected to play tonight. Ilya Bryzgalov likely will tend net for Phoenix in what could be a historic night for him (see SUBPLOTS below).

The Ducks (30-26-7) also were busy making trades on Wednesday. Anaheim completed five deals and bolstered their defense by acquiring Lubomir Visnovsky and Aaron Ward. They also traded for backup goaltender Curtis McElhinney.

Jonas Hiller, who played very well for Switzerland at the Winter Olympics, likely will start in goal for the Ducks, who will enter the game in 13th place in the Western Conference standings with 67 points. Anaheim trails eighth-place Detroit by five points.

Three members of the Ducks - Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Scott Niedermayer - won gold medals at the Winter Olympics on Sunday playing for Canada.

"Getzlaf, Perry and Niedermayer are just outstanding players," Tippett said. "You watched the Olympics and you saw how well those guys played. They're going to be a handful (tonight) and it will be a real test for us."

 
Wolski
Coyotes forward Wojtek Wolski scored the game-winning goal with 23 seconds left in his debut with Phoenix on Thursday vs. Colorado.
Selanne
Ducks forward Teemu Selanne, who won a bronze medal with Team Finland at the Olympics, has notched four points in his past two games.
 
  • Coyotes goalie Ilya Bryzgalov is one win shy of setting a franchise record for victories in a season. Bryzgalov will enter the game tied with Sean Burke, Bob Essensa and Brian Hayward with 33 victories. Burke and Hayward will be at the game. Burke, of course, is the Coyotes Goaltending Coach. Hayward is an analyst for the Ducks.

  • Coyotes forward Petteri Nokelainen will play his first game against Anaheim since the Ducks traded him to Phoenix on Wednesday. Nokelainen played 67 games for Anaheim over the past two seasons and nine playoff games.

  • The Coyotes are 23-10-2 after 35 home games at Jobing.com Arena this season. That is the fourth-best home record in the NHL. Including tonight’s game, Phoenix has just six home games left.
 
Stempniak

"I want to be a goal scorer. I want to be a guy that the coaches can count on if we need a goal late in the game."

'YOTES QUOTES:
Lee Stempniak

COACH'S CORNER:
Dave King
 
  Joffrey Lupul
  Kurt Sauer
  Scottie Upshall



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