The Phoenix Coyotes are off to a rough start this season and this past weekend didn't help. The Coyotes dropped two games over the weekend -- one to the Dallas Stars, and one to the Pittsburgh Penguins -- and penalties were a big factor.
On Friday, the Coyotes were in Dallas to take on the Stars. They got crushed 6-3 thanks to four Dallas power play goals.
The Coyotes spent the majority of the game playing catchup. Dallas scored three unanswered goals before Sami Lepisto beat Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen to put the Howlers on the board.
After the Stars' third goal, Coyotes coach Dave Tippett pulled
goaltender Illya Bryzgalov and replaced him with B-squad goalie Jason
LeBarbera, who was equally unimpressive, allowing three goals in the
loss.
Coyotes captain Shane Doan and Lauri Korpikoski also scored for the
Coyotes, but it wasn't enough to bridge the gap created by Dallas' four
power play goals.
"It's disappointing," Tippett said after the game. "We got behind early and they got
some breaks on some pucks that bounced off our guys and into the net,
and we couldn't create the breaks ourselves. But when a team gets those
breaks, they earn them and their group found a way to get it in the
net."
On Saturday, the Coyotes hosted the Penguins in Glendale and penalties were a problem again.
The Coyotes went to the box five times and, leading 3-2 in the second
period, gave up a game-tying power play goal with 30 seconds left in the
period.
The third period was scoreless, which sent the game into overtime and
ultimately a shootout -- a scenario where the Howlers thrived last
season. Saturday, not so much.
The Coyotes missed all three attempts in the shootout, and lost the game
in the final round when Mark Letestu slipped a quick wrist-shot past
Bryzgalov to win the game.
The Coyotes head to Detroit to take on the Red Wings tonight. For more info click here.
