Follow @james_tanner123 Before the season started and the Coyotes played in more games with 4, 5 or 6 goals scored (either for, or against) than anyone could have foreseen, last night's game was more in line with how we thought the team would play on most nights: Basically they played good, had (mostly) solid goaltending and strong play from their defense and grinders but couldn't score enough to win.
For two periods the Coyotes were - and I could be biased here - the better team. The only problem? The team lacks the offensive firepower to put opponents away. Obviously this wasn't helped by the fact that Hanzal missed his second straight games despite pre-game reports that he would play. Without the guy who should, by all rights, be the team's number one centre, they have very little chance to score enough goals to win on most nights.
While Hanzal isn't an elite scorer, he creates all kinds of room for whoever he skates with and his absence creates a massive hole in the middle of the Coyotes lineup.
Anyhow, up 1-0 entering the third, the Coyotes made like a tree and blew it. Just under a minute into the final period the Stars were suddenly up 2-1 and after that, the Coyotes just didn't have another goal hidden away in their sack of tricks and once Smith let in a weak one to Spezza, that was all she wrote. It was the second hard to take loss to the Stars in just over a week.
For the Coyotes, the loss ends a streak of four straight games (3-0-1) where they recorded at least a point. They have the night off tonight and then play the Sharks and Ducks over the weekend.
The Stars, interestingly enough were insanely busy in the aftermath of this win. First they signed Spezza to a 4 year deal and then they made a trade while I was writing this blog. The deal sends Benden Dillon to the Sharks for Jason Demers.
I like this trade for the Stars. Dillon is a big guy and he's young and has a lot of upside from what I have seen and heard. Demers though, he is not too old, 26, and I think he's one of the more under-rated defensemen in hockey. Dylan is really physical, but Demers probably is better offensively and I like this trade a lot as it addresses Dallas' biggest weakness.
I don't like it for the Coyotes though because it just makes it that much harder for them to make the playoffs. As for the Spezza extension, I like that too. Yeah, he's injury prone because of his back and yes it's for a lot of money, but the term is reasonable and he'd get more if he was a UFA for sure. And, if he does hurt his back, the contract's insured and doesn't count against the cap. If he plays, him and Seguin should be one of the top 1-2 punches for the next four years.
I like what Dallas has done so much in the last while - I still can't believe they bought so low on Seguin, and really do think they'll turn it around this year. I love watching them, Benn and Seguin are two of the most fun players to watch in the entire league.
I can't wait for the Coyotes to make a move and acquire a forward even close to their caliber. I can't be the only one wondering what Boedker could do if he had some dangerous players surrounding him and an elite centre to feed him the puck.
Thanks for reading. This blog has been brought to you by my Mom's basement, my Uncle Chuck, and this record: