One Fan's Perspective

The Phoenix Coyotes scored five goals last night against the New York Islanders and they needed all five of them to win the game as the Islanders fought back with four goals; the last two coming in the third period.

Pretty significant for an Islanders’ hockey club that has not found a way to score goals in the third period.

I heard that the Coyotes started off the first ten minutes flying and Viktor Tikhonov scored the first one. However, I could not pick up the radio broadcast locally or via NHL.com. Next, I remember reading (and possibly writing) that the Phoenix Coyotes lifted the blackout restrictions for games delivered through NHL Center Ice, but not televised by our local affiliates. My screen was black for the first period.

Then, after sending e-mail to NHL.com to fix the radio broadcast (which they finally did), the Islanders scored to tie the game at one and they were absolutely flying around the ice, forcing the Coyotes to play in their zone during the second half of the period.

I’m glad I missed that then.

The game appeared through NHL Center Ice starting in the second period, and for the rest of the game, with my simulcast of our local radio voices Bob Heethuis and Tyson Nash calling the game, we saw:

* Zbynek Michalek, Shane Doan, and Olli Jokinen score goals attempting to put the game away.
* Tim Jackman cross check Ed Jovanovski and Jackman’s stick hit the goalie mask of Mikael Tellqvist which caused him to fall to the ice. After getting repairs to his mask, Tellqvist would be okay, but I loved hearing the crowd boo Jackman every time he touched the puck or hit one of the Coyotes.
* After Josh Bailey scored his first goal of his NHL career, Joakim Lindstrom scores an unassisted goal, his fourth of the season.
* In the third period Doug Weight scores his 1000th and 1001st point of his long NHL career. I’m glad that the Public Address announcer alerted everyone in the building of his accomplishment and according to Billy Jaffe, half of the arena stood to pay respect to a great NHL player.
* As the score is 5-3, Richard Park scores his second of the third period making it 5-4 with around 30 seconds remaining in the game. For a team that struggles in the third period, they were doing everything possible to win this game.

The Coyotes made it a touch more difficult than they needed to, but gaining those two points were extremely important. With the Colorado Avalance losing to the Columbus Blue Jackets, it put some distance between the Coyotes and the Avalance. Plus, with the Philadelphia Flyers shootout, the Anaheim Ducks give away a point to the Eastern Conference.
Playing the Anaheim Ducks always has significance, but now, it’s even more intense. The Ducks and the Coyotes are tied for the sixth playoff spot with 39 points apiece and with equal records of 19-15-5.
It’s a playoff on Sunday and it should be a whale of a game.

Tags: Hockey, NHL, New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes // Add Comment »