The Arizona Coyotes won 1-0, Darcy Kuemper picked up his fourth shut-out of the season, and the Windy City Coyotes were essentially eliminated from playoff contention.
It's one thing to have a late-season playoff battle, but it's actually pretty awesome that two teams who spend the last two years making 11 or 31 trades (or whatever it was) with each other, faced off with their seasons on the line.
The Hawks, as is the case in most Coyotes games, were the better team, but Kuemper was the better goalie. As it was a four point swing, and as they only have six games left, and because there are three teams between them and the playoffs, the Hawks are most likely done.
He has taken a team that should be playing for last overall if you look at the stats or the injuries, and given them a chance at the Playoffs.
If the team in front of his showed up at all over the recent four game road trip, in which Kuemper played insane, they'd have their playoff spot locked down.
Instead, the team scored four goals in four games and Kuemper went 0-4 demonstrating why wins are as stupid of a stat for goalies as they are for pitchers in baseball. The win puts the Coyotes - or the Islander's South as they have been called due to their penchant for goalie-based success - in a tie for eighth place with the Avalanche.
Unfortunately, the Avs have played one less game and have the advantage.
That said, they also have a preposterous 13 loser points, and should be eliminated on that basis alone.
Speaking of those pesky Avs, it's a showdown with them on Friday!