Ok that is an exaggeration. But I think you are starting to get the idea that I couldn’t go to Game 1 of the Phoenix Coyotes vs LA Kings Western Conference Final last night. So what’s a Coyotes fan to do? You could find a sports bar in the area that is playing the game but then you might have to deal with the state wondering why you brought a 10 year to a bar.

Instead of risking that sticky investigation follow the simple PuckGal method of “Whiteout at Home”:

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You can see and feel the difference everywhere. From the more upbeat media attention surrounding the win to the legions of happy fans that met the plane for the returning Coyotes on Tuesday afternoon.

Even my trip to the Coyotes Den at Jobing.com arena yesterday was different. Normally my daughter and I would have the place to ourselves to browse the Coyotes gear. But it was a different scenario this time. On a Tuesday afternoon, not even 24 hours after our entry into Round 2, we weren’t alone by a long shot and the phone to the store was ringing off the hook. According to shop personnel it had been that way all day and they couldn’t keep the Mike Smith garb from flying off the hangers. Nice change of pace.

Everyone in there was holding some piece of merchandise, Mike Smith-wear or not, and I myself succumbed to 3 tshirts and hat. Playoff wear for the boys and every girl (or PuckGal) needs a sassy black v neck. Girl first..hockey fan second. Sorry.

The hockey gods love commerce and with the fever pitch growing with each and every post season game, just imagine if we actually made the finals…

Mike Smith jerseys all around!

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I am also right in predicting that once again we would hit overtime. It just seemed inevitable from the drop of the puck to the second Coyote goal that Chicago would somehow come back and sure enough they did. These two teams just can’t seem to get enough of each other. Even though they want to beat each other up in the process, Shaw and Smith, Torres and Hossa and Bissonnette and Bolliger have all gotten some major action including games suspensions, misconducts and  a disciplinary hearing that Torres will face on Friday. Surely Tyson Nash regrets his “clean hit” comment as much as I did when I concurred.

Phoenix comes home for Saturday’s take all game and I wouldn’t dare make any predictions on it except to say that I am geared up for a bumpy, and possibly long, ride. And so far I can’t be wrong.

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After tonight’s OT win in Chicago, making the series 3-1 in the Coyotes favor and Mikkel Boedker a Phoenix hero, it appears that the Phoenix Coyotes  and Chicago Blackhawks are working hard to give their fans their money’s worth and to make this series as exciting as possible. Either that or they just don’t want to get off the ice because all four games have gone into overtime. You heard me right, FOUR games. And as exciting as it is, it has also proven to be detrimental to my health. This is why OTwill never be FDA approved:

- It causes extreme heart palpitations

- Has the uncanny ability to bring on an extreme case of terrets (I called 2 Blackhawk fans “lucky sons-of-b*****s” during game 2)

- Insomnia due to all the adrenaline coursing through your veins and the extra period (s)

- Not to mention poor performance at work due to the lack of sleep. I have said it once and I will say it again..Stanley Cup Playoffs should be recognized as a national holiday.

- Anxiety during the last few seconds of the game where, as this series is proving, anything can happen (let’s talk about Chicago’s late in the game goal scoring) 5.5 seconds..5.5 seconds!!

- Causes bad decision making, mealtimes in front of the TV and bad language in front of my 10 year old.

If you experience any of these symptoms, don’t do anything..you’re a real fan!

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I can’t think of a more appropriate word to describe Game 2 in the Phoenix Coyotes vs Chicago Blackhawks series. It bore a striking resemblence to the first game of the series. Lots of white, lots of energy, great defense and Mike Smith making all the big saves. All of that is good dejavu, in fact give me some more of that going forward.

The bad juju?

Radim Vrbata getting taken out and not returning having only 42 seconds of ice time.  Having just a one goal lead going in to the end of the game. Then of course allowing the Blackhawks to tie the game with just 17 seconds left in regulation.

The Coyotes did rebound however and took the game during the one period of OT.

Fast forward to game 2 and that sinking feeling you have seen this game before. Still the same great energy, lots of white (although 2 red and black jerseys were sitting RIGHT behind me..annoying) Radim Vrbata is back but Mike Smith is victim to a nasty hit to the head by Shaw. The fans had to endure a few nervewracking moments waiting to see if he would recoup…with Jason Labarbera warming up in the wings. Smith got up, played brilliantly and the Coyotes scored a nice power play goal as a result of the 5 minute major. Once again all good.

Then the bad juju..

Empty net, 6 attackers, only a one goal cushion and a mad scramble to the net. It’s 6 seconds till the period ends.  I am gathering up my purse, collecting the whiteout pom poms and downing the last of my beer when…those 2 red and black jerseys behind me starting cheering. At 5.5 seconds left in the game.

5.5 seconds.

NOOOOOO! This cannot be happening again. This is so devastating, so frustrating, so infruriating that I cannot even help myself. In an uncharacteristic rage, I whip around and scream at the 2 red jerseys “you guys are the luckiest sons-of-b*****s”! Oh yeah, I did that. In front of my daughter, stepsons and husband. So classy.

But how could this be? Again? How could the Coyotes let this happen TWICE..in TWO games! Purse goes back on the floor, pom poms flutter madly and we settle in for OT.

And the bad juju continues..

Coyotes lose it in the OT tying the series at 1. Pom poms wilted, daughter exhausted and the rest of the family disillusioned we wearily head for the exit. Let’s hope the next 2 games in the Madhouse will reverse the juju in our favor.

As for Game 2? As the French say.. C’est la vie.

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Yes I know but you haven’t heard it told like this.

Ray Whitney’s nickname is “the wizard” (yes, I know you know that too, indulge me) but it occurred to me how much this “wizard” had in common with another famous “wizard”, Harry Potter. Just go with me on this.

- Just like the wizards and witches in JK Rowling’s tales, Whitney is now in an elite group as well. Only 79 players have achieved this particular glory before.

- While he doesn’t battle Voldemort, Whitney does go toe-to-toe with other vile creatures such as Sharks, Ducks and Canucks (don’t tell me that the Sedin twins don’t make a horrific two headed fantasy figure!)

- He may not have the lightning bolt scar but he does have the most adorable dimples.

- And just like his fictional counterpart Ray is also humble having been quoted as saying “I’m glad it’s over with, because in the end what we’re doing right now is something more important than 1000 points..we’re trying to get in the playoffs.

- He can fly. Defy me, I dare you.

- As in HP sequel after HP sequel, Ray Whitney’s work is never done. A mere 40 seconds after scoring his 1000th he goes for 1001.

So you can see this isn’t as farfetched as you might have thought. His next feat however will likely rival Potter’s final battle with Voldemort..getting past round 1 of the playoffs. Now THAT would be magical..

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- Defending the position that hockey DOES belong in the desert
- Converting more friends to hockey fanatics (it’s all about attendence people)
- Fending off aggressive Winnipeg hockey fans who don’t just want A team, they want OUR team
- Trying to ignore the rumors that Winnipeg just might get their wish
- Welcoming Michal Rozsival and Rostislav Klesla to the team
- Sending get well cards to Ed Jovanovski, Derek Morris, Martin Hanzal and Shane Doan
- Waiting with bated breath for playoffs
- Praying that we wouldn’t meet the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of playoffs and then cursing our bad luck
- Not writing get well cards to Henrik Zetterberg
- Dodging flying octopi and ultimately suffering crushing disappointment as the Red Wings swept the Coyotes out of the first round

Although the season did not end as hoped, the bigger desire is that the off ice drama dissipates and all of the focus can be where it belongs, on the puck, the stick and the net here in Phoenix with OUR boys.

Thanks again guys for another memorable season.

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Subject: Winning in Regulation

Thank you Phoenix Coyotes for last night’s Valentine’s Day win over the Washington Capitals. The 3 - 2 victory in regulation at home and on Versus was particularly satisfying. A mention needs to go out to Ilya Bryzgalov for his solid work in net and keeping us out of some sticky situations. Kudos also to our defense with special recognition to Derek Morris for his early in game trip on Alexander Ovechkin..who’s afraid of the big bad Ovie? Not I, says Derek Morris. And after being out for about 10 games recently, it was nice to see Vern Fiddler come out strong with a goal.

The icing (forgive the pun) on the cake is now the team is in first place in the Pacific Division which does bring me to my point.

WIN MORE IN REGULATION!

We gave the Dallas Stars and Chicago Blackhawks a very valuable point by allowing them to bully us in to overtime. We need to climb while crushing the competition. Western Conference standings are extremely tight right now only a mere 3 points separate us from the 8th spot. 8th! This cannot happen, not if we want to celebrate another whiteout. And quite frankly I am very fond of those. So keep up the good work, get those points and make it happen! That is all.

PS Go Coyotes!

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Keith Yandle. One of the more controversial players we have in terms of likeability. I cite the varying opinions overhead at any given game. “That Yandle’s a good kid” “Damn that Yandle shooting from the point AGAIN!” I tend to take the more neutral point of view in that he definitely has some talent but his judgment can be a little sketchy. Love him or hate him though, our Bostonian made it to the All Stars! Not only has he surpassed last season’s point total but played on Lidstrom’s winning team.

Shane Doan. Voted as one of hockey’s role models, I have to call Captain Obvious on this one. He’s so nice, so respectful, such a great person all around that I WANT to find something dirty on him. Nobody, especially a sports figure, can be this wholesome..there has to be a skeleton somewhere. An Illegitimate child? A DUI? Even just a little underage drinking in high school?? Nope. Clean as a whistle and that is not bad for a failing franchise who is, at best, the red headed stepchild of the NHL most of the time.

The Coyotes are not doing a bad job as repeating last year’s success although there is a distinct feeling of deja vu surrounding it. We always seem to land in the #4-#6 spot this time of year and this season is no different. The Coyotes are in the #6 spot but it’s a very tight race with just 1 or 2 points separating the teams. We are closing in on Nashville and Anaheim but Chicago and San Jose are nipping at our heels. It sure didn’t help that we dropped what should have been a win against the Sharks last night. But onward and upward.

Now the really crappy stuff. We STILL do not have an owner. If you have followed this at all, you may have noticed that the City of Glendale struck up this crazy deal with Matthew Hulsizer paying him millions to buy the team with the idea that it would be recouped later through parking fees and such. Or so I think…the waters are so muddy it’s hard to tell what is going on. Currently parking is free. Now I can’t say that I don’t like that although to keep them around I would pay a few bucks. But all the parking fees in the world are not going to help if attendance doesn’t go up. I know, you’ve heard this all before from me but it continues to be a problem. Attendance has not been all that stellar this season despite the boys’ good play and vibe. The East Valley residents still complain about the drive, most everbody complains about the ticket prices (they do seem to have increase a bit) however there are still promotions such as the buck bash where certain concessions only cost a $1. I wish I could say it is helping. People just need to show up.

Now to add insult to injury the deal that Hulsizer and Glendale are hashing out is under the scrutiny of the The Goldwater Institute, a watchdog group. It has been suggested that even investors from Winnipeg are feeding the Goldwater folks information in order to get them to start a lawsuit. The supposed hope is that Hulsizer would be out and then they can swoop in and take the team back to Canada. Sneaky, sneaky. Of course this all rumor, heresay and optimistic Canadians talking. The NHL denies any problems with the offer and contends that the deal will go through. I just have to wonder if everything is so up and up then why have all the deadlines come and gone and there is still nothing final.

But I am not a lawyer, investor or business person so I guess I will have to sit back and watch it unfold like everyone else. We are in the big push now and the focus needs to be on making playoffs again and maybe, just maybe go just a bit farther than we did last year.

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Tis the season for owner talk to hate
Fa la la la la, la la la la

Done we now our Coyotes jerseys
Fa la la la la, la la la la

Troll the halls of City Council
Fa la la la la, la la la la

Oh yes,it’s that time again…In this season, of peace, love and good will toward man (or hockey fan) The Phoenix Coyotes fans are treated once more to ownership and financial talk. Tomorrow night (December 14th at 7pm) the Glendale City Council is, once again, meeting to discuss the terms of the deal with the Matthew Hulsizer’s group. The jist of the deal of this:

The City of Glendale will give $97 million to Hulsizer to operate the arena with the option to buy it plus $100 million to get the parking rights from the team. Hulsizer, in return, will pay the rent to the city that they have been accustomed to receiving, around $6 million and his group will keep the Coyotes in town for 23 years.

Oh and yeah their name will be the Arizona Coyotes. Lame, but I suppose it’s a small price to pay for keeping them around.

Everyone is holding their breath and wondering if this could really be the end and answer to the Coyote financial woes.

Tonight I will have visions of signed deals in my head.

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Missed opportunities, poor power plays (or as I like to say “powerless” plays) and an overall lack of energy and fire made the game quite painful and, dare I say it, boring to watch. The only one to watch was Ilya Bryzgalov who kept us in it with some amazing goaltending (once again). That and my daughter’s team who played the intermission. My consolation prize after the game was an engagement ring from the boyfriend. Nothing says romance like a shoot out loss!

Now the team that showed up to play against the Anaheim Ducks the next day looked like a whole different group. Tippett must have put a boot up some behinds to get a fire going and going it did. Great goaltending, passing that hit the mark and some physical play ended up earning the Coyotes a shutout victory and quite a nice beatdown of the Ducks’ Parros by own little social media celebrity Paul Bissonnette. Did you know that he’s got almost 15,000 write in votes for the All Star team because of his Twitter prowess?? And who said that social media was just a fad!

We are still on owner watch as Matthew Hulsizer has been quite vocal with the press and demonstrative with his desire to own the team lately. The catch? He has to negotiate a new lease with the City of Glendale…where has this tripped us up before? I will give you a hint..Ice Edge Holdings. Unfortunately, it looks like my annual “All I want for Christmas-Coyotes Edition” post will, once again, feature a wish for new ownership. It’s being reported that the deal could be done as early as next week on the 14th but I am not counting hockey pucks till they hit the back of the net. My version of the chickens hatching thing.

Next up are the Minnesota Elves, oops sorry, Wild. Those uniforms kill me with their red and green but it’s their time of year and who knows what elfin magic they have up their jerseys. I have a feeling though that elves are tastier than Duck and we sure had our fill of that on Sunday. Keep puckin’!

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Roughly a quarter of the way through the season and you better be giving some thanks Yotes fans! Here are some of the reasons we should be sacrificing a goat or a Red Wing fan to the hockey gods. Kidding …sort of.

- The current 7 game, soon to be 8 game, (I am optimistic) winning streak.

- That our defensemen sometimes forget what position they play. Ed Jovanovski pulling off a hat trick? Hellooooooo

- And speaking of hat tricks, I am extremely grateful for the 4 (Whitney, Fiddler, Jovanovski and Stempniak) that we have had this season already! Not that I got to see any of them but still..

- Of course speaking of hats, I am also thankful that despite all the financial and ownership woes that The Coyotes still have a place to hang those hats. The Hulsizer deal is supposed to be finalized by mid December and since this is a piece about thanks I won’t add my usual sarcastic follow up comment.

- Super thankful for the sweep of Western Canada, a feat almost completely unheard of for the Coyotes. All 3 of the teams (Canucks, Oilers and Flames) have impossibly hard arenas to play in and even harder fans to shut out. Have you heard how noisy those Canadians get?? Phoenicians need to take note..

- And last but not least, we should be thankful that we still have a HUGE chunk of the season left to go!

Go Yotes!!!

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With the boys away in Prague, those of us not fortunate enough to be able to cross the globe to watch them found a good option at Breakfast with The Coyotes at 18 degrees in Scottsdale. Around 300 fans showed up to watch the team play and for the most of the 1st period it was standing room only! Proof that the underdogs are growing their fan base, well worth having to lean against a gate to get a view of the TV screen.

It was there that the season opened with some great play, solid goaltending from Ilya Bryzgalov, a respectable scrap out of Vern Fiddler and some rookie watching. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson say a lot of ice time and I am of the opinion that the organization is testing his fortitude. After all NHL play can be very intimidating especially to a 19 year old. We will see how he fares over the next few games.

It’s been suggested that last season was just a fluke and that the Phoenix Coyotes couldn’t repeat the success they had last season. With their impressive preseason and 5-2 win against the Bruins it seems that they are well on their way…never mind the silly loss on Sunday 3-0.

The home opener on Saturday the 16th is a true grudge match against the Detroit Red Wings who beat out our boys during the first round of playoffs last season. I expect a good show and a soft pretzel.

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I promise to howl 10 times and get my behind to “Breakfast with the Coyotes” to cheer the boys on in Prague. Incidentally that is 9am at 18 Degrees in the IceDen in Scottsdale. Food, fun, prizes and our boys going all European.

Pre-season has been a bit of a rollercoaster. Rookie game 1 was disappointing but they came back in Rookie game 2. We lost a few players (Michalek, Lombardi, Vandemeer) and added some new names to the roster (Belanger, Whitney, Ebbett). Paul Bissonnette gained fame and notoriety on Twitter, got closed down and started back up again. For some raunchy off color fun I can highly recommend. Follow @biznasty2point0.

A new potential buyer emerged after it became apparent that Ice Edge was not prepared financially to buy the team..duh. But don’t get too excited IE will more than likely be minority owners if the deal actually goes through. The drama continues.

The Yotes won 5 out of 7 pre-season games and look primed to start the regular season after they go international this week.

Stay tuned for much less pathetic reporting as I will be tweeting and writing from the “Breakfast with the Coyotes” (@sharonlmurphy) Yes my true identity. It’s just too exhausting to have a secret alter ego…

As always Jdi Yotes and Hodně štěstí

For those following along in English..Go Yotes and Good Luck in Czech.

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Apparently there is a mystery buyer and Ice Edge is looking to buy an ECHL team..huh? What? Didn’t they want to buy the Coyotes for the last year? What’s the sudden urge to have a team in Thunder Bay, Ontario? Weren’t they so excited to be part of Arizona sports?

Oh, wait was that before Glendale asked them to pony up with the money? There is lots of speculation surrounding the means in which Ice Edge will buy the team. This leaves us fans wondering what is REALLY going on and if we are going to have to endure another season of headlines focusing on financial woe instead of the action on the ice. Is it too much to ask that this be over before the season starts?

So with only a few short weeks to the start of preseason, I am beginning to come up with a plan for this redheaded hockey fan to buy the team. Donations anyone?

Then it would be Miss Scarlett in the Jobing.com arena with her very own hockey team.

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What do you do now?

Plan for the preseason of course! For me this involves a few key items.

Mining the schedule for must see games. 2 that stand out for me this season? Maple Leafs and Capitals. I haven’t seen either team in person and how can I pass up the chance to see Ovie in action?

Wardrobe check. Every self-respecting hockey fan needs their gear. Hockey jersey? check! The only thing missing is Shane Doan’s signature. Shane if you are reading this, email me, we’ll do lunch. I should plan on picking up a long sleeve tshirt or two just for a special beginning of season treat..

Step up the fitness plan..literally! There are a lot of steps in Jobing.com arena and I’ll be damned if I am going to let my fellow fans see me huff and puff hoofing it to get a pretzel!

Crash as many of the open houses/player signings or events that may occur in the coming months. Note to Coyotes fans..Wednesday night the 21st 7-9pm. Maybe I can get that elusive Doan signature BEFORE the season begins…commence the stalking!

Signs that you may have gotten a little hockey homesickness?

You closed your eyes during World Cup games just to pretend you were at a hockey game as they screamed “GOOOOOOAL!”

You are forcing your 8 year old goalie, under the guise of “skill development”, into extra 3×3 cross ice scrimmages and additional practices. All just to be near ice..

Then you take your daughter’s diorama and add your Shane Doan bobblehead into the neighborhood. As shown below..

Hockey season can’t get here soon enough!

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And they were ready for them. Seems every citizen in Canada was rooting for the death of the Yotes and I even discovered there was already a schedule created for the new team of Winnipeg….just in case…

However tonight, via my sources within the City Council meeting, I have been informed that the City of Glendale, in a bold yet surprising move has voted unanimously to pony up some funds to keep the team here at least another year. It’s an “insurance” policy designed to keep the team going in Phoenix while the NHL works out ownership details with..well whoever. More details on this as it is revealed.

So for now Phoenix fans can breath a little sigh of relief and start looking forward to pre-season!

Let’s Puck!

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Thank you…for the inspirational never-say-die attitude that shocked the critics and “make it eight” Canadians and got us into the playoffs.

Thank you…Dave Tippett for taking on the monumental task of coaching the “underdogs” of the desert and doing what the “great one” couldn’t do.

Thank you…for always putting on a great show even if it resulted in a loss.

Thank you…for being the inspiration that encouraged my daughter to be a goalie. Next generation Coyote!

Thank you…Coyotes management for bringing on such powerhouse forces such as Lee Stempniak and Wojtec Wolski. Their contributions, even as late in the season as it was, were tremendous.

Thank you…to the NHL and Coyotes management that still believe Phoenix deserves a team in the desert despite lagging attendance numbers and financial woes.

Thank you…to the fans, who like myself, who stayed till the bitter end of game 7 to send out our boys in the fashion which they deserved..a stand ovation and chants of “let’s go Coyotes”.

Thank you…even to the bandwagoners who left at 10 minutes left in the game for at least buying a ticket and supporting the team in a financial sense anyway.

Thank you…in advance, to whomever purchases the Phoenix Coyotes and keeps them where they belong..the valley of the sun.

Here’s to a fantastic 2009-2010 season and a promising 2010-2011 one..GO YOTES!

Let’s Puck!

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I take back every snarky comment I ever made about a sports fan in the midst of playoff fever. Ever since the Phoenix Coyotes made the playoffs I am experiencing the euphoric highs, the scary lows and the all the nervousness that comes with having your team fight for the cup.

I secretly (well not so secretly now) am in love with Henrik Zetterberg..the guy is so freaking talented I can’t stand it. But he still needs to be taken out.

Publicly snarling at Detroit Red Wings fans has now become socially acceptable. This would be appalling to my “Miss Manners” mother. Sorry Ma, it’s Cup time.

I am going to start taking oxygen to the games with me since holding my breath is now a regular event.

I almost took out the eye of another Coyotes fan during a badly aimed high five. I am 5′2, he was around 6′2..it was a bad decision.

The longer this series has gone, the grayer my roots have gotten. Does that count as a playoff beard?

My Shane Doan bobblehead has become a magic 8 ball..Shane? Are we going to win? Please visualize his bobbing head in answer.

Every time Red Wing Holmstrom gets comfy with Bryz in the net I just want someone to take him out at the knees.

I got a last minute ticket to game 5, went and didn’t tell my 8 year old goalie daughter..

The night after said game? I had a dream in which Vern Fiddler asked me to marry him. Don’t ask.

Power play has replaced the “ohm” in my meditation chants..

I was scared to write this because I am superstitious!

The biggest confession of all? Did I REALLY think they would make it here? Hell yeah I did!

Go Yotes!
Pucking in the Playoffs..
-PuckGal-

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* Be the dragon slayers and defeat the Detroit Red Wings in the first round. As this piece is written, the Yotes lead the series at 2-1. If the Coyotes could take the Red Wings, not only would my boys advance but everyone in the West would heave a huge sigh of relief.

* Perfect the power play. Now I know this is a tough one to ask since our power play has suffered tremendously all season however with Derek Morris’s pp goal on Wednesday night, things could be looking up.

* Keep up the “pack mentality” we have so grown to love and capitalize on. The word team has taken on a whole new meaning and I have said it once and I will say it again..the Coyotes ARE the hardest working team in the NHL. Note the rally after Doan’s injury Sunday in Detroit.

* A speedy recovery for Doan, he is the heart of the team. And maybe a hat trick if that is not asking too much…

* For Bryzgalov to..wait..he’s just about perfect. Never mind. Stay classy Bryz.

* Tippett for Mayor. Enough said.

* For the team’s success to finally overshadow the financial woes, ownership squabbles and talks of lease deals.

* Watch the 3rd period. Fizzling out at the last minute did no one any good. Keep the energy flowing, play the puck not the man and be smart. It worked in the 1st game, it can work again.

* And last, but not least, a big shiny silver cup with the Phoenix Coyotes all over it!

Let’s Playoff Puck!

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He has not been in the playoffs since 2002, and is making every shift count. There is some criticism that he is playing over the line, but as one of the classiest players in the league, he is representing what the NHL playoffs are all about. He can play offense, defense, fight, hit, and lead his team with grit, determination, and class. He epitomizes playoff hockey. Don’t be fooled if you think this is going to change anytime soon… and it shouldn’t.

ZamboniDiaries

http://zambonidiaries.blogspot.com
Twitter: @zambonidiaries

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The other day I jumped on Craigslist to see what there was in the world of game 1 Coyote tickets. There were a bunch to choose from, so I scrolled through checking seats and prices and stumbled upon some that caught my eye. These were 20 rows up in the corner left of Jimmy Howard of the Red Wings. Now, in any Canadian city, I am sure these tickets would have been hundreds of dollars and to actually get them would be a real chore. Anyway, for $75 each, my wife, a friend, and myself, enjoyed a classic playoff game.

The place was electric, everyone in white, screaming, chanting, and heckling. The action was fast, the Red Wings, a skilled veteran team, showed off their talent, with crisp passing, finesse, stick handling, and plenty of shots. The Coyotes on the other hand, a team that surprised everyone this year, and probably continue to, showed the heart, team work, chemistry, and relentless pressure, that has got them to this point. They out hit the Red Wings in a big way, which caused some key turnovers, they won most of the battles for loose pucks and capitalized when they had to. The top scoring defense core in the league had 5 points on the 3 goals and one of the worst power plays in the league went 3 for 4.

It looked like the Coyote game plan was to play with an edge and hit everything that moved. It seems like they realized this is a long series and if they can apply relentless pressure and physical play, they can ware down the aging, and often injured Red Wings. The Coyotes won game one, but it looked as though they were setting themselves up for games in the future as well.

It was the first playoff game I had been to in a long time and I couldn’t have been more pleased, as a hockey fan, with the game that was played by both teams. I will be honest, I am not a fan of either team to any great extent, but living in a city you can adopt a like for a team, especially a team nobody thought would be in the position they are.

Now tonight I can sit back and take in some other rounds on TV (go Canucks), and remember the great experience I shared with my wife and friend, in a place where nobody thinks hockey should be.

zambonidiaries

http://zambonidiaries.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @zambonidiaries

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The playoff beard is a long standing albeit sexist tradition, where hockey fans grow their facial hair just like the players do during playoff season. Now most women I know, with the exception of a lunch lady or two, are unable to nor do they want to grow a beard. It’s been suggested that perhaps female puckheads let their armpit or leg hair grow. It’s also been suggested that the hair be left to grow in a more..ahem..intimate area. Perhaps grow in a uni-brow? It’s hair, it will grow and it can be shaved or waxed at the end of the playoffs.. It is also very uncomfortable, and for those who have a significant other it can be construed as a tad unfeminine. If any of you happen to find a man who is ok with prickly cactus legs or a bush under each arm please let me know because I could save a fortune in razor blades and waxing!!!

Even the notion of not washing your hair is on the list. That is far too gross, unslightly and probably against my hygiene policy at work to even consider. There is the idea that manicures and pedicures be given up but I present a different, far girlier option for the female fan. I currently have Coyote red on both fingers and toes and could keep it so until the Coyotes finish. And yes, that was a little wishy-washy. My predictions never work out, I am superstitious so there!

So does nail color count? Perhaps I should do a french manicure instead for the Whiteout?? Either way it is way more visually appealing (unlike growing a playoff beard, underarm/leg hair or intimate area) and it shows your fandom in a distinctly feminine fashion.

I supposed I may get some flack for my choice of playoff pride but hey, I’ve said it once and I will say it again “I am still a girl!” Plus the red will contrast very nicely with the whiteout apparel! Don’t judge me..

So all you lady hockey fans, what’s your playoff beard? If you participate in the tradition, I want to know how you do it, where you got the idea and even pictures if you got them!

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Who knows and who cares because for the first time since 2002, the Phoenix Coyotes are making a run for the cup. Of course all the talk lately has still been focused on their financial woes and who it is that will step up and buy the team. Ice Edge Holdings still appears to be a contender and Jerry Reinsdorf has now reappeared to once again throw his hat into the ring. The rumor mill has been running rampant including an “April Fool’s” joke that IE played on the Globe and Mail and Dave Shoalts. The report was that IE had given up its hunt for the Coyotes and moved on to bigger prey..Manchester United. Apparently Shoalts didn’t feel the need to check his facts and the news outlet ended up with a little egg on their face..ooops! That’s what they get for all the bagging they have done on my Coyotes!!

The real news still remains the impending White Out playoff season. The Desert Underdogs have pulled out of the shame of financial ruin, public ridicule and general neglect (ain’t it funny how the local news is suddenly reporting on them??) to show what they can do and finally earn a little respect. And even if they go no further than the first round, they will still be the standout team of 2009-2010.

And Dave Tippett? A monument should be erected in his honor outside Jobing.com Arena…

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1) They are Canadian.
And we all know that long distance relationships do not work, have you wondering what they are doing on the side and usually end up in a break up via text message.

2) The showering of love and attention and then the disappearing act. All gung ho was the group prior to Christmas then they took a “break” from us and now they are back….

3) They tell you what you want to hear.
Yes we want to buy the Coyotes! Hockey in the desert CAN work! Do we have funding? Well..um..you see about the lease in Glendale…I still don’t understand what THAT is all about.

4) They want to marry you…soon
The letter of intent was signed in December but wedding bells haven’t rung yet and according to the latest Daryl Jones interview it could be weeks or months.

5) They are cheating on you.
Ice Edge wants to buy the Phoenix Coyotes for who they are..but wait there is a mistress waiting in the wings names Saskatoon. They just want to play a few games there but it doesn’t mean anything. We are the ones they truly love…riiiiiight.

And just like a woman in a bad relationship, the Coyotes organization is waiting it out hoping for the ring and that things will change. When do you think they will come to the realization they are “just not that into us”?

I could be wrong and the Phoenix Coyotes could be walking down the aisle very soon. And if it means they get to stay in the Valley then I am putting my stamp of approval on the relationship. Other than that the Coyotes may want to post their profile on a hockey team dating site.

Super hot, underdog team seeking sugar daddy investors….

Let’s Puck!

Howler ain’t the only dog in this situation….

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The Phoenix Coyotes are now 1st in the Pacific Division
AND
The Phoenix Coyotes are 2nd in the Western Conference

I could tell all those naysayers “I told you so” but I am going to wait until the playoffs…

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Now it has been reported in various sources (most notably the Toronto Globe and Mail) that the group does not have funding to buy the team and the deal could never come to fruition. The unsettling news stirred fans to the point that Ice Edge issued a letter to Phoenix that had an overly optimistic tone:

These are exciting times to be fans of the Phoenix Coyotes. Our team sits in the top four of the very competitive western conference, and with less than a month remaining in the regular season, the team is well positioned to bring playoff hockey to the valley for the first time in over half a decade.

We are happy to report that regardless of reports to the contrary, there have been no material changes in the process to date. As we stated from the outset, we fully expected the transaction to take upwards of six months, similar to other recent transactions for other NHL franchises. Ice Edge Holdings continues to work very closely with the City of Glendale and the NHL towards finalizing a lease that will be appropriate for all parties.

The execution of a revised lease is the key outstanding issue, and once completed will allow the transaction to move towards closing. We are neither behind nor ahead of our expected timelines.

Ice Edge Holdings remain committed as ever to the Phoenix Coyotes and to the long term success of the NHL in Arizona. We look forward to joining all of our fellow fans as the Coyotes march towards the playoffs, and participating in white outs when playoff hockey is played for the first time in Glendale.

The fans of the Coyotes have been through more than any sports fan should have to endure. We have said in the past that to be a sports fan is to make a commitment to a team, both emotionally and financially. To do so requires a two way street between the fans and those that own the franchise. Ice Edge Holdings looks forward to showing the great hockey fans of Arizona and the Southwest that commitment for many years to come. We thank you for being the strongest fans in the National Hockey League.

Go ‘Yotes!

Anthony LeBlanc
Chief Executive Officer
Ice Edge Holdings, LLC

I say overly optimistic because in a radio interview Daryl Jones’ tone was just a wee bit different. He never truly answers the question of whether funding is in place, only reiterating that the lease in Glendale was the sticking point and they needed to come to terms on it. Sounds to me like there is no money…at least not at this moment. He also states that the process could go on for another few weeks or few MONTHS. I have been saying all along that something didn’t seem right here however I am not going to say “I told you so”…YET!

If this could take months then how much longer is the NHL prepared to take on the financial responsibility of the team? Have we shot ourselves in the foot with not finding other potential buyers? I’d say we are putting all our pucks in one net on this one. However, what other buyer is going to step up and buy a team that is slated to lose around 20 million this year.

And of course all of this is drawing attention away from what should be in the center ring and that is the amazing play our guys are putting on the ice. Shutouts, 6 game winning streaks, multiple stars of the week and great talent and heart is what we should be focused on. In strong playoff contention, we should be celebrating the Coyotes achievements and bright post-season future.

And that is just what I am planning on doing.

Let’s Puck!

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Coming out of the cold a few hours before the game, I found my way to the escalator. Looking back, I noticed Tyson Nash standing there, looking dashing as ever in his pastel colored tie and called out “Hey Tyson”. Now sometimes my outgoing nature tends to startle people, as it did Tyson. His head jerked up but he waved and smiled. What else are you gonna do when a strange redhead yells “hey” in a five-star hotel on an escalator?
 


The escalator turned out to be my lucky charm because who did we literally run into when we stepped off? Shane Doan! And yes, I found it necessary to shake his hand and say hello. As gracious as you always hear about, he stopped for a moment while we wished him luck. Or should I say I wished him luck. My daughter stood by my side mute from the sheer awesomeness that was meeting one of her heros.



And then..the onslaught. Innocently standing at the elevator bank, Peter Mueller, Keith Yandle, Jason LaBarbera, and Mikkel Boedker all dressed to impress in their suits cram into an elevator. Once again I can’t let that just go and my call of “hey guys” caused more deer-in-the headlights looks than hunting season in Pennsylvania. I have to wonder..do they just expect to go unnoticed especially since they are in a different city? Or am I just that social that it causes alarm? Don’t answer that! Only LaBarbera seemed unfazed, turned and reciprocated the “hey”. Thanks Jason.



One last sighting ocurred during a particular odd moment. When approaching the front desk to find Benadryl for hives that unexpectedly showed up on my neck (I just blame the sheer excitement of it all!) I ran into Anders Ericksson. Not at all concerned that I might startle, confuse, beguile or bewilder him, I throw a “good luck tonight” his way. This time I was rewarded with a big smile and a “thanks”. Apparently he didnt’ see the red bumps on my neck that were approaching goiter status..whewww.



After my hives were in check and the reception under my belt, we were off to the Pepsi Center. Incidentally, during said reception, I had a nice albeit too brief, conversation with Doug Moss on the potential of Mikkel Boedker. At the entrance to the arena, cars lined up as though as we were waiting to get in Six Flags. Since we were on a “tour” bus, our walk to the entrance wasn’t horrible, however I did feel bad for the commoners who had to hike out from the parking lot.  Made me a little homesick for Jobing.com arena whose parking seemed easier in comparison.



On the way to the arena you pass large pillars and of course a gargantuan Pepsi ball logo embedded in rock. Guess which soda pop choices you have inside? The arena is referred to as “the can” although supposedly not in polite or arena personnel company.



Gaining entrance to the arena was a simple procedure. No metal detectors, no purse invasion and only one ticket taker to allow entrance. A bit different from the body cavity strip streach you receive at Coyotes games while surrounded by at least 3 security guards/ticket takers/purse checkers.



Aside from the large hanging sculpture representing the various sports played there, the Avalanche (hockey), the Denver Nuggets (basketball) and the Mammoth (lacrosse) the arena was pretty hockey typical. Some annoying differences included an ancient scoreboard, the announcer who sounded like he was auditioning for a jazz radio station and the intro to the team (the Avalanche experience) was far too lengthy. Just get the guys on the ice already!



The fans were relatively energetic and I was pleased to see that even on a Friday night, attendance wasn’t any more than what you see at Jobing.com on any given night. It was an odd experience to be the “strangers in a strange land” with Avalanche jerseys coming at you at every turn but we held strong. We even received a few shout outs from wayward Coyotes fans in passing. However we did get boo’ed from a young (11 or 12) fan in the pro shop to which I replied saltily “yeah that’s what we say when you come to town”. Mess me with kid.



The game, as you probably already know, did not go our way. Some bad penalty calls, a lagging power play (AGAIN) and an inability to get shots to connect left us shy of the win at 2-1.



The experience was great and I have to give a big thanks to Lindsay, Jackie, Doug Moss and the rest of the Coyotes team that put the trip together and accompanied us all to Colorado. I also need to send a huge thanks to my employer, Jobing.com for sending us. 



As they say, “there’s no place like home” and although the experience was awesome I still think I prefer watching my Coyotes where they belong..in the desert.



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Ones to watch are the dynamic defensive duo of Adrian Aucoin and Keith Yandle who are scoring left and right. Matt Lombardi who, even without his partner in crime Scottie Upshall, is on a tremendous offensive run stacking up assists.

With Colorado in 6th place and our guys in 4th, I am perfectly ok with widening that gap. More ok would be to overtake the Vancouver Canucks who sit in 3rd and even more ok would be to play beer pong with Vern Fiddler and Jason LaBarbera.

Watch out Avs fans!
Let’s Puck!

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And it’s unlikely for the go-to guy in a shootout to be a defenseman. But unlikely or not, that’s what we have in Adrian Aucoin. The defenseman won the whole shooting match for us in a recent game against Nashville, scoring the only goal of the game in a shootout. And in Friday night’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks it was Aucoin who once again lent his wrist shot to get the win. 2 consecutives games, 2 consecutive shots in shootouts to victory. Do we dare say he’s streaking?

In a conversation with Todd Walsh, he was asked how he felt about the streak. He kinda chuckled and replied that he was “nervous” about the possibility of being called upon each time and the expectation that would result. Even his wife couldn’t believe it. During his shot on Chicago, she thought the game was a replay of Nashville. Aucoin’s son assured her that “he did it again”.

As it must, all good things come to an end and Saturday’s loss against the Dallas Stars was as spectacular a loss as all those 6 wins put together. 4-0 and the only good thing out of that game was the Paul Bissonnette beat down of Khrys Barch. There is no doubt however, that the Phoenix Coyotes will get back on track and start “streaking” again.

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4th place standing in the Western Conference

6 wins out of the last 8 games including big victories against Calgary and Detroit

Teppo Numminen inducted into the ring of honor, Teppo holds numerous franchise records including most points by a defenseman (534) and was appointed the “sexiest man in Finland” honor by Coyote Captain Shane Doan.

In his triumphant return from the AHL Mikkel Boedker gets his first goal of the season

And in another first, defenseman Sami Lepisto gets his first NHL career goal

And in yet ANOTHER first, Scottie Upshall with a hat trick

The Bad

3rd period sluggishness has almost cost them a couple of wins by blowing 2 or even 3 goal leads, could it be stamina that is the problem? As of late they have been coming out in the first firing on all cylinders but seem to lose steam as they go along. Going into the 2nd period against the NY Rangers on Saturday with a 3 goal lead it should have been a game of “keep away” with the puck. Lackluster play, however gave the Rangers a chance to score 2 and nearly cost the Coyotes the game.

The Ugly

Scottie Upshall is out indefinitely with a torn ACL. One of our powerhouse scorers, this could spell a little trouble for the Coyotes but when you have everyone including defenseman such as Keith Yandle and Sami Lepisto chipping in with goals it could be enough to take up the slack.

The olympics are coming up and although I am trying to be practical about it, I can’t help but fear the break. The last time we had a break such as this momentum was lost and the Coyotes slipped from 5th place to..well let’s just say it wasn’t pretty.

All this said and done I couldn’t be happier at the way things are shaping up for the guys. With solid coaching from Dave Tippett and the “pack” mentality that is being displayed each and every game dare I say we have a playoff team in the making this season? From my mouth to the hockey gods’ ears!

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According to the Business Journal, Daryl Jones, COO of the group, says negotiations are “moving forward” and that they are commited to a long term lease in Glendale which houses Jobing.com Arena. With this commitment it’s suggested in the article that Glendale officials would be “open” to the Coyotes playing a “handful” of games in Saskatoon…as I feared.

Jones is quoted as being in it for the long haul and “it’s all about getting the fans to believe in you”. That is one statement I can get behind. The article further indicates that Jones does not want to do anything that would erode support for the team in Arizona.

This has been an additional fear and one I have been talking about since the group threw its hat in the ring. Attendance and fan support have been a difficult obstacle and playing in a new arena in Saskatoon may not do the cause any favor.

Also intriguing is the fact that among other businessmen, John Breslow is part of the Ice Edge group. Breslow apparently was a minority owner when Jerry Moyes still owned the team. The same Moyes who played a very large part in the financial failure and eventual bankruptcy of the Coyotes. I am making no assumptions or judgements here except to say it is verrrrry interesting.

It looks like things are heating up on the ice again here in the desert.

Let’s Puck!

The Phoenix Business Journal Article

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Seen as the answer to many a Phoenix Coyote fan the group has seemingly gone MIA. Has the NHL gone sour on the idea? My opinion from the beginning has been that their motives seem a little sketchy.  With the let’s-play-some-games-in-Canada approach to the ownership, it appeared as a badly veiled plot to move the team north. Quoting one of my favorite movies from the 80’s “something stinks in suburbia” Or is it that the NHL has seen the potential of the team and have decided to hold out for a better offer?
 
Whatever the reason, it’s interesting that there has been no news and we are well past the halfway point in the season. Sitting in a respectable 5th position and tied in points with the Nashville Predators, the Coyotes could make it to the playoffs and finally get some of the respect they deserve. A lot can happen in the next few months, however I remain cautiously optimistic. 
 
Time will tell on the sale and the playoffs but until then..Go Yotes!
 
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That being said, the game was really uneven. The Yotes started off strong with Ed Jovanovski’s goal in the first 3 minutes of the game but lost steam fast. The Islanders rallied, got a point and right before the 1st intermission Jovo Cop took a 5 minute penalty and a game misconduct for an elbow. The 2nd period completely belonged to our opponents and they scored 3 more goals leading the Coyotes 4-1. Ilya Bryzgalov, obviously in need of day off was replaced by Jason LaBarbera in net. Things were looking pretty bleak but the boys, in a fantastic recovery scored 3 goals in less than 4 minutes to tie up the game. Paul Bissonnette, Mr. Unlikely, led the goal charge with Taylor Pyatt and Mr. Even-More-Unlikely Peter Mueller following close thereafter. Apparently Shane Doan made one heck of a 2nd intermission inspiration speech. And Bissonnette (aka BizNasty) was their biggest cheerleader from the bench, shouting out encouragement all through the period.

The OT was scoreless and the Islanders took the shootout with 3 out of 6 shots. A great Coyotes rally that just ended up a little short but hey we got the point and we need all of those we can get. Plus, my goalie daughter got a hat thrown out to her from 2nd star of the game Matt Lombardi and we got Oggi Stix and a Burrito Supreme so it wasn’t a total wash.

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Captain Shane Doan - FINALLY get a hat trick. After 1000+ games, it’s time Shane.

Zybnek Michalek - Make sure your health insurance is up-to-date with all those pucks to the gut you take

Ed “potty mouth” Jovonovski - Love the intensity of the JovoCop but let’s remind the TV crews that they should NOT do close ups of you with so many minors in the crowd

Daniel Winnik - Never let your hair grow out again. You are having the season of your career and I am convinced it’s the new haircut

Robert Lang and Petr Prucha - You guys keep the wild hair, it’s working for both of you

Peter Mueller - Relax and the goals will come

Martin Hanzal - Work on your fighting skills. With that long reach you could be an amazing scrapper!

Scottie Upshall - Nothing. You are just about perfect in every way.

Matt Lombardi - Ditto

Ilya Bryzgalov - Double Ditto

Paul Bissonnette - Keep that gap toothed grin, all the more intimidating for your opponents

Kevin Porter - To STAY in Phoenix, enough of the long distance commute from San Antonio

Vernon Fiddler - Don’t look so surprised all the time Vern, you rock!

Kurt Sauer - Injured player MIA, come back! We miss you

Keith Yandle and Jimmy Vandermeer - Let’s see more of that aggressive side…grrrrr

Adrian Aucoin - Keep on rockin’ it old school with that wooden stick, composites are for wusses! Not really, but way to stay original

Radim Vrbata - Just more of the same Vrby, goals, goals and more goals

Sami Lepisto - To represent proudly Team Finland and The Phoenix Coyotes in the Olympics

Taylor Pyatt - Keep that solid +/- of 11..it’s all I ask

Anders Eriksson - Get noticed, I know you have it in you

Lauri Korpikoski - Keep being the go-to guy when the pressure is on

Jason LaBarbera - Keep up the good work as Bryzgalov’s wingman in net

And MY resolution? To keep coming out to see you all play!

Go Yotes and Let’s Puck!

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The Coyotes started off strong at Rexall Place, having no trouble finding their way around the orange caution cones that Oiler Deslauriers calls his goalie pads. Incidentally those things are a beacon to shooters, bad idea. They scored early in the first period and managed a 2 goal lead in the second. Edmonton came back in the 3rd to tie things up but thanks to a tripping call on the Oilers, Shane Doan got the winning shot in OT to make it 5-4..bring on the burritos!

So, the Coyotes took the extra point and that’s ok by me. Incidientally, it was just not a good night for Canadians as the fans inside also witnessed Canada’s loss to the USA.

Next up on the road is the Vancouver Canucks and all signs from the last game point to a very physical and exciting matchup.

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During the interview with Todd Walsh, LeBlanc appeared very enthusiastic and energetic about the possible sale. Apparently the group is very ingrained in the sport with some of them having played the game professionally. LeBlanc mentioned that, aside from the obvious mismanagment of the team, the fact that they have not seen playoff action in 6 years is a major contributing factor to lagging attendance. Again..no duh.

Wins = attendance = loyal fans. This is not a difficult concept to master.

Todd Walsh concluded the brief interview with LeBlanc outlining that it would be 3-4 weeks before a formal letter would be drafted. So much for a quick turnaround and new lease for the Coyotes.

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Not only have his stats been hot but his team members have gotten behind more than they ever have in the past 2+ seasons. He’s made the effort to know his team and the respect and “pack” mentality he’s showing have certainly come back to him. You just have to watch the post game celebrations after a great win to see the difference. His teammates are praising his work ethic in interviews and genuinely there to back him up. It’s nice to see.

Feels good don’t it Bryz?

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Monday Detroit Red Wings
Wednesday Toronto Maple Leafs
Thursday Columbus Blue Jackets
Saturday Anaheim Ducks

There will be no rest for the weary. And the weary I am talking about is Ilya Bryzgalov. In his 180th straight start..ok just 13th (feels like more to him I’m sure) Bryz hasn’t gotten a lot of rest. As much as I am for riding the hot goalie, I am concerned that the fatigue is going to be too much. This could prove detrimental to the team’s success as he has been instrumental in the team’s success lately. Jason LaBarbera just hasn’t had the ice time to really be up to speed but My guess is that he might get his chance against the Maple Leafs or the Blue Jackets if not both. Defense is going to need to be top notch and Ed Jovonovski should be back in the lineup after his little 2 game “timeout”. If Zybnek Michalek continues to do what he does best by throwing himself in puck’s way we should be juuuust fine.

Although our opponents are beneath us in the standings, it’s not time to rest on our laurels or take chances. The Coyotes are sitting in the 6th spot all by their lonesome with just 2 points separating us from the Calgary Flames. A big win against the San Jose Fish Sticks on Saturday night hopefully gave the boys a little mental boost not to mention the points boost.

The power play on the other hand could use a little boost. We squandered at least 3 opportunities (I stopped counting). I still swear it’s a zen thing with the odd number of total players on the ice that a power play presents…but hey that’s just my theory.

So break out the tunes and the munchies we are going to Detroit!

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With the shutout Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov is now the leader in shutouts in the NHL. He’s been really giving his all and the team has gotten behind him in a big way. Great job Bryz! The boys have now won 5 in a row, a feat that has eluded them since the 2006-2007 season. Oh yeah, you heard me right but it won’t be the last time this season, mark my words. Taylor Pyatt lit the lamp again, the 3rd time in 3 straight games earning him an official PuckGal hat trick (I like making up my own). Scottie Upshall earns an honorable mention for scoring a goal after being checked silly into the boards and as reported today Ed Jovonovski earned himself a 2 game suspension for a very high elbow to Andrew Ebbett. Congrats guys!

The game was filled with tension after Jovo’s wayward elbow, made even more tense by the fact that The Wild only managed to rack up a pitiful 3 shots on goal in the 3rd. Something had to give and as the game came to a close Keith Yandle engaged in a little shoving match which turned into Vern Fiddler beating James Sheppard onto the ice. A clear win for Vern and very much a Wild incited incident.

So what’s next? Well hopefully a 6th win to further overshadow our winning streak deficits..and some more shutouts wouldn’t be a bad thing either.

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The Black Friday game against the Dallas Stars started them on their tear and credit goes out to Lauri Korpikoski for 2 goals and Scottie Upshall and Matt Lombardi for their 3 assists apiece. Also, in good form with a goal apiece were Zybnek Michalek, Adrian Aucoin and Robert Lang. Final 5-2.

Next we did a little duck hunting when Anaheim came to town with our fearless leader Captain Doan giving us the OT win. Jimmy Vandermeer also scored one further making up his embarrassing penalty party against Tampa Bay a month ago. Matt Lombardi was also on the board with one. Final 3-2 in OT

Then we went on to host 2 of our Canadian friends, the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators. Now both of these games were radio only. And I have to, once again, rant about my dislike for radio only. I find hockey to be a treat for all 4 senses…1) sight..of course the ability to watch the grace, the power and the fluidity of the game 2) smell..beer mixed with hot dogs mixed with testoterone AHHHHH 3) taste..see #2 for hot dogs and beer 4) touch..umm I don’t do that one anymore because of the restraining order..ahem.

But I digress..the games against the boys from the Great White North turned out very well. A tied game against Calgary could have gone into OT without the awesome goal scored by Taylor Pyatt very late in the 3rd period. Petr Prucha scored the 1st goal of that game. Final 2-1

And the boys lost a little steam in the game against the Ottawa Senators later in the 3rd period otherwise it was really looking like it could have been a shut out. Taylor Pyatt, Petr Prucha and Ed Jovonovski all scored leading to a win despite allowing 2 Sen goals in. Final 3-2

So what are the keys to all these wins? I like to think that my mere presence at the Black Friday game started their wonderful tear but…I think we need to go back to the genuine teamwork that is going on. These guys are genuinely pulling together to make it happen. You can tell from the post game interviews where the talk is all about the “pack” mentality, coming together with no one person making all the difference. Guys like Scottie Upshall, Matt Lombardi and Taylor Pyatt all making great offensive moves and Ilya Bryzgalov incredible in net. With his 9th straight start he staved off 26 shots in the Ottawa game. He’s been solid all season and the last 4 games have been no exception. Even with injuries hurting their game most of November they have bounced back with force and a very nice start to December.

All I want for Christmas is more of the same.

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First I learned that the hockey pre-season isn’t like other sports’ pre-seasons. Hockey players have said that the pre-season is really where you just find out who is making the team. It’s the beginning of the real season where you actually start learning how to play together. That’s why many teams have to find their footing when the season starts. By (US) Thanksgiving, they’ve usually been playing as a team for a solid month.

The second thing I learned is that Canada has their own Thanksgiving.

So here we are at (US) Thanksgiving and I wanted to see how The .Net’s teams are doing compared to this time last year.

The San Jose Sharks are just 1 point behind their point total from this time last year, and like last year they sit atop the NHL. Although there is nothing to be derived from this when it comes to the state of the team or their playoff prospects, all I will say is it’s nice to have a winning franchise to watch every few nights. The regular season is always fun in Sharkland.

rockandrollnobody’s Detroit Red Wings are 6 points behind where they were last year. While 34 points was worth 2nd place in the West last year, this year’s 28 points are only worth 10th. Given the goals the Red Wings lost when Hossa and Hudler left, and given the number of injuries they’ve suffered, a 6 point drop doesn’t sound too bad. However the increased strength of the rest of the West has them way down in the standings.

That strength is coming from hackett’s Chicago Blackhawks, who are surprising no one with their 9 point improvement over last season. With Marion Hossa finally joining the team the Blackhawks look to be the team to watch in the NHL. The only concern about this team is what to do next year. The Blackhawks could have serious cap issues so maybe it’s got to be this year.

The strength in the West is also coming from an unlikely source. That source is puckgal’s Phoenix Coyotes who are surprisingly occupying the 8th spot in the West. Perhaps the best thing that could have happened to the Coyotes was the loss of Wayne Gretzky. It makes complete sense that the Coyotes, under an experienced head coach like Dave Tippett, would be a better team. Could the Coyotes make the playoffs? By the way, to show just how little respect this team gets, wikipedia is still reporting Gretzky as the team’s head coach.

Where the West seems to have lost ground is with duxrox’s Anaheim Ducks. Unfortunately it looks like Brian Burke left town leaving behind two things: 1) a Stanley Cup Title (yay!) and 2) a salary cap strapped team in free agency hell (boo!). My question to duxrox: is it worth it? Is it worth a title if it means enduring a ‘rebuilding’ year, possible signaling a window of a few rebuilding years? It’s always been that philosophical question - do you want to win all just at least just once, or do you want a perennial winner?

Despite all of the woes of massive injuries, pittpen’s Pittsburgh Pengiuns are tied for second in the NHL with their 36 points. The fact that they’re 5 points better than the were last season doesn’t really mean much when you consider that they made a coaching change later in the season to go from 10th in the East to Stanley Cup Champions. The Penguins seem to be skating along nicely despite having the longest hockey seasons two years in a row.

Tied with those Penguins are colonelbagpuss’ Washington Capitals. Here’s my beef - the marketing gurus at the NHL have been promoting Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Washington’s Alex Ovechkin as the face of hockey. I understand that they’re both stars, but the ‘beef’ part is that they get more attention because, I think, they’re in the East. The Sharks have Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley - but the Sharks are in the West. This is one of the reasons why I started The .Net - not only does the NHL lack good nation media coverage compared to other sports (hence the idea that we’re always playing short handed), but the West gets even less coverage (hence the idea that the West is always playing short 5-on-3). Back to the topic at hand. The Capitals are being talked up as the next team to take it, giving Ovechkin center stage to sell the game. We’ll have to wait and see about that.

And last but not least, the Vancouver Canucks. Interestingly enough here at The .Net, the most blogged about team is the Canucks - I guess they just have way too many fans! Because of canucklehead, theoldtimer and hist, I know a lot more about this team than pretty much any team out there. Unfortunately I’m not sure where this team is going, they seem to be sliding sideways. Although only two points off last season’s pace, they’re sitting in 11th place in the west. I feel like of all the teams represented on The .Net, this is the one team that should be better than their record.

If they’re right and (US) Thanksgiving is truly the first benchmark of the season to come, it looks like most of the teams represented on The .Net are in a good position to make it a long, exciting season. The next typical measuring stick milestone is the month after the All-Star break, but since there is no All-Star game this year we’ll use the month after the Olympic break. It’s at that time where you start to see who has the mental fortitude to keep it up for 82 games. Teams that have been running away with things can get lazy around that time, while teams hungry to make a change usually ramp things up. But until then I’m sure there will be lots of continuing conversation so please - stay tuned!

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Although, it does appear that some of the new deals are working. The Coyotes Express which was announced a couple of weeks ago, has so far been a success. It apparently sold out on Saturday night’s Coyotes vs Flyers game. The attendance looked pretty good and was announced at about 11,000 which is a big jump from the 5,000 and 6,000 we have been seeing. True there was a lot of black and orange in the stands but hey, their money spends just as well and I am louder than 3 or 4 of them put together.

While all of this is great I can’t help but wonder what would happen if local TV and FM radio got behind the Coyotes a little. At any given time you can hear the scores of the last Cardinals, Diamondbacks or Suns game on local TV or FM radio. What you don’t hear is the Coyotes score..not even when they win! In fact, driving in to work one morning I heard the broadcaster mention the Cardinals score and then some tidbit about the Coyotes financial trouble but no word on their win. It was infuriating. XTRA radio does a great job and they are the Coyotes radio network but only sports fans are going to tune in to that. What there needs to be is more of a “missionary” knocking on doors style approach. Converting the non-believers, amen!

Todd Walsh hosted an interesting segment on one of the broadcasts recently that showcased a man who was “turned” into a fan right after the lockout. This was a guy who had never watched sports and really had little interest. They brought him out to some games and he’s been going ever since..years later and still a rabid Coyotes fan (pun fully intended) I’ve seen this phenomenon in my office as of late. Several people were treated to a game recently and were pleasantly surprised at how fun it was. I think a couple more and we might just have them hooked…insert evil laugh here.

As it is I will continue to support the team, spread the gospel and hopefully create a few new foaming-at-the-mouth believers.

Let’s Puck!

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Being a fan of Danny (despite his rather “goon” like behavior) I expected some fireworks, perhaps with our newest and most eager of enforcers..Paul Bissonnette (aka Biz Nasty) I was just itching to see the two of them go at it. Throughout the game I could see Danny baiting some of our guys..he seemed particularly interested in defenseman Heshka who was up from the AHL for the ailing Ed Jovonovski and Zybnek Michalek. Heshka, though didn’t seem too interested and Carcillo turned his attention a few times to Peter Mueller. Mueller avoided the situation and rightly so. He never would have walked away from that..sorry Peter but it’s true. At one point I saw Bissonnette and Carcillo trade words but much to my dismay, nothing ever materialized. I suppose with the relatively tight game and the need for a win we couldn’t afford any frivolous penalty minutes..sigh.

And the clean playing worked because we ended up with a nice 3-1 win that included a very interesting penalty shot situation I had never encountered. With the Flyer’s empty net, a penalty shot was called. I didn’t know this before but if it is called when there is an open net, the team gets the goal. SCORE! I like that little loophole.

Good clean play (darn it) and even some decent fan attendance of about 11,000 made it a successful night even though I didn’t get my blood.

Ah well, a girl can dream…

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At the Arrowhead mall, several teenager girls accosted Mueller and Pyatt and received free tickets for their trouble. Why didn’t they drop by my office? I certainly have more inclination to buy tickets than a couple of giggling Mrs. Field’s cookie chomping teeny boppers!

With attendance ranging 5000-6000 fans on average, I have to applaud the Coyotes organization though for being somewhat creative in their marketing efforts. The “We Win, You Win” promotion paid off for fans (including myself) Saturday night against the Stars earning us another game on the team. As the attendance remains stagnant it seems to be an all out war to find fans.

I myself have created a step-by-step plan to breed a new hockey fan..

Step 1) Take them to their first hockey game (give it to them free at first)

Step 2) Show them the arena sights while spewing interesting hockey trivia or rules of the game (I personally enjoy penalty talk)

Step 3) Take a trip down to the glass and watch warm ups (getting that up, close and personal view)

Step 4) Sex sells and if your prospective fan is a woman be sure to point out some of the “finer” points of the team (I recommend #8 currently) or if a man, direct his attention to the cheerleaders

Step 5) Pound the glass until Shane Doan flashes you a smile and tosses a puck out to you (my charm!)

Step 6) Buy team apparel from the Coyotes Den (ladies I happen to know they sell Coyote panties, these could be VERY effective)

Step 7) Sit in incredible seats with one of the best vantage points in the arena

Step 8 ) Cheer the Yotes on to victory

Your new hockey fan must be watered (with beer and/or soda) fed (with hot dogs) and placed in direct light of the scoreboard as frequently as possible.

**Warning** Your new hockey fan will more than likely become addicted and therefore will need to be detoxed during off season.

I am doing my best to up the attendance but I can’t do it alone..

Let’s Puck!

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East Valley residents have long complained that the distance (approximately 30 miles) is the reason more of them won’t go to games. Well, perhaps this new shuttle will silence them. At $30 for a lower level seat PLUS someone else doing the driving, East Valley residents can’t afford not to make more games. Departing 90 minutes prior to faceoff and 20 minutes after the game the hope is to make the games more accessible to those who consider themselves “distance” challenged.

Having discussed this with some East Valley fans, it seems to be an effective move. Some have already purchased their tickets and view it as a positive promotion. Anything that gets more people into the arena, I’m all in favor of.

Let’s Puck!

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The boys lost 3 out of their 4 games (but that was a beauty of a win against the Chicago Blackhawks)

Mikkel Boedker was sent down, once again, to the AHL. We really need his speed or am I the only one who sees this?

Both Zybnek Michalek and Ed Jovonovski are out with “lower body injuries” Note to the organization..it’s ok to say “groin” we are all grownups here!

Michalek is listed “week to week” which is really bad because Z is a major part of our defense and a complete maniac who throws himself in the way of every puck that comes his way..a real trooper.

Jovo is listed “day to day” which is a little more optimistic sounding. In the meantime they have brought up Shaun Heshka who showed great promise in rookie camp, plus he’s an alum of the ECHL Victoria Salmon Kings which I think is the most hilarious hockey team name EVER. So that’s not all bad..

Saturday nights game against the Ducks was radio only which really stinks because I hate listening to hockey. I like it to be a feast for all the senses, seeing the plays, hearing the roar of the crowd, the cold glass against my palms as I pound like a booze soaked dude…

And we lost said game even after an amazing 3rd period rally.

So, by now you are probably asking..where is the bright spot in all of this? I give you one word “Slapshot”.

Now I have never seen this cinematic masterpiece..wait before you get all righteous on me declaring “how could you be a hockey fan having never seen that..blah blah” you have to remember that I am a new-ish hockey fan who was raised in a football household. And I have seen Miracle, Mystery Alaska and Youngblood (what an Oscar winner THAT was..)

The 1977 classic starring Paul Newman has been heralded as one of the greatest sports movies of all time. So, a good hockey friend lent me his copy while I was bed ridden, phlegmy and wearing 2 day old pajamas…a pretty picture for sure. And yes guys..I am single!

The movie, in a word, is hilarious. Even if I wasn’t a hockey fan, I would still find it hysterical. And better yet, I now understand the mystique and wisdom of the Hanson Brothers..not bad for having bronchitis.

The Yotes get a bit of a rest before they meet the Canadiens here at home on Thursday and I am looking forward to being there in person Saturday against the Stars. Here’s hoping the week is better for all of us!

Let’s Puck!

Technorati Tags: hockey, nhl, Phoenix Coyotes

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