Follow @james_tanner123 The Coyotes finished off the month of October on a down note, losing to the Canucks 4-3. However, they went 5-5-1 over the first month of the season and currently sit in third place in the Pacific Division with 11 points.
Last night's game was brutal. They allowed three goals on the first six shots and it was over before it had barely begun. Now, you could easily look at the fact the Coyotes dominated the Canucks possession wise and look at how they almost came all the way back, and think they were sabotaged by bad goaltending (which they were) but the fact is, score effects tend to favor teams that are down by three goals - so it's not like the Coyotes stormed back and played great after going down, it's more like teams with three goal leads never play very hard and the Coyotes took advantage.
Despite last night's loss, the first month of the season has to be seen as successful - a 5-6 record is nothing short of miraculous when you consider the team is dressing two rookies in prominent roles, has Martin Hazal and Antoine Vermette as its top two centres (and Hanzal has missed the last two games), sometimes dresses John Scott and always dresses Nick Grossmann.
The Coyotes are inexplicably off until next Thursday, so hopefully Hanzal can come back then, because without him this team is absolutely screwed. OEL is their best player, but because their centre depth is pathetic, Hanzal may be their most important player right now. He has been excellent so far this year.
If I had to guess, I'd say that October will end up being the high-water mark for the Coyotes 2015-16 season and that as long as their continue to dress multiple fourth-line centres in high leverage roles they will continue to fall in the standings. I think unless they are flat-out tanking that a trade for a centre must be made over the next week off.
Notes: Domi scored his fifth last night (!) and has been awesome. When he scored, it was just two minutes shy of 100 without a goal for the team.
Gaudet scored his first NHL point last night, an assist.
Grossmann played less than any defenseman last night at 5v5 - a good sign for Tippet's competence as a coach.
The team continues to constantly scratch Elliot. I'd like to see him and Murphy play together as the second pair.
OEL on Sutter pic.twitter.com/QG1hLBT0II
— Stephanie (@myregularface) October 31, 2015Thanks for reading.