Seattle @ Arizona preview
Mullett Arena
Last Meeting ( Apr 10, 2023 ) Seattle 4, Arizona 1
The Arizona Coyotes hope to bring more energy Tuesday night -- when they wrap up a three-game homestand against the Seattle Kraken -- than they did in their most recent outing.
The Coyotes seemed to sleep-walk through a 5-3 loss to Winnipeg Saturday afternoon.
"I don't think we had the pace we normally have," Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. "I think they played really solid. They're a heavy team, they create possession, they played their own game, and they were better than us on their breakout. That's what made the difference.
"We were too slow on the breakout, the puck was not moving, and from there, we had nothing going defensively. They were able to stall us, and we stayed in our zone forever. That's something we talk about, and we do better."
J.J. Moser, Liam O'Brien, and Lawson Crouse scored for the Coyotes, and Karel Vejmelka made 22 saves. It was the fourth goal for Crouse in the past three games.
Nino Niederreiter recorded a hat trick for the Jets, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
"They came at us hard, and we had some chances, but not nearly enough," Coyotes forward Nick Bjugstad said. "That's a good team, but on our end, we definitely didn't like how we were working as a five-man unit. There's definitely some areas we could have been better in, obviously, and we left (Vejmelka) out to dry a few times.
"It's a game we'll definitely look at, try to grow from it, and keep going."
Much like the Coyotes, the Kraken also are coming off a disappointing home loss. Seattle dropped a 6-3 decision to Calgary, which snapped a six-game skid.
The Flames broke a 2-2 tie early in the third period and then added a pair of empty-net goals.
"You cannot underestimate an opponent in this league anymore," Kraken forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare said. "Doesn't matter the situation of their organization or their season. If you don't meet the desperation of a team, you're going to be in trouble.
"This is not the way we wanted to play that game before we go on the road. But this is the way it is, so it's going to be a 'move on' situation. Just put the work boots on and go work."
Jaden Schwartz, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Eeli Tolvanen scored for Seattle, and Philipp Grubauer made 25 saves.
"I thought we got outhustled in the first 10 minutes of the third period, plain and simple," Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. "That's just what it was. There's no ducking that for us."
The Kraken lead the NHL in scoring first in games eight times this season. But they've also blown a lead in 10 games in a row.
"We have to maybe find a way to keep the lead and hold on to it and not let teams get back into it," Kraken forward Oliver Bjorkstrand said.
--Field Level Media