The Coyotes have been eliminated from the playoffs. The Stars won tonight against the Blues 3-0. What else is there to say?
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I come not to bury the Coyotes, but to praise them.
For a team that has lost five in a row, at the absolute worst time possible, it remains hard to be hard this team. Sure, I am a little angry about the result of last night's game, and the losing streak is tough to take. But overall, it's hard to work up much anger in regards to the way the team has conducted itself.
See for example:
-They had to lose five game in a row in order to miss the playoffs, and they still might make it.
-They give the kind of effort every game you can at least be proud to cheer for.
-They had to do so with no help from their starting goalie, star player and probably, overall, their most important player. Worse still, when he went down, he had probably been the best goalie in the world for a month or more.
A look at this team pre-season revealed a team that can't and won't score. Well, that has proven true, despite a solid to great effort on nearly every game, the Coyotes just don't have the offensive firepower to hold their own in games where they don't get sensational goaltending or where they get unlucky.
So, since things are going nearly exactly as expected, I find it hard to work up anything more than crushing disappointment. Certainly no anger.
The Coyotes have had a good run. They still might make it. Should Dallas lose tonight, the Coyotes will have a chance to save their season by beating the Sharks on Saturday. If both things happen, then Sunday's game against Dallas will be a situation where the winner (in regulation) goes to the playoffs.
I suppose it's kind of unlikely now, but the Coyotes even having a shot at the playoffs after losing five in a row seems unlikely too. So, anything is possible.
What is there to say about last night's game though? A shutout? You gotta admit though, they poured it on in the third. Got unlucky when Yandle didn't bury it into the open net. Like I said, hard to be disappointed with the effort. You know they can't score, there first line centre is Antoine Vermette!!! I like Vermette, but Johnathan Tavares he ain't.
So, lets hope the Coyotes can get some luck - for once- and have the Blues destroy the Stars tonight. Of course there is the pesky little fact that it's literally the biggest game of the year for Dallas and the least important one for St. Louis.
Fingers crossed.
@james_tanner123