Tired of watching the Arizona Cardinals embarrass themselves, Valley sports fans? There's an alternative: the Phoenix Coyotes.
After a sluggish start, yesterday's 3-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks helped the Coyotes remain in fourth place in the Western Conference. You can thank Coyotes goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.
Bryzgalov was flawless. His 39 saves shutout the Ducks -- his former team.
Bryzgalov was waived by the Ducks following the 2007-08 season after playing second fiddle to Jean-Sebastian Giguere since 2001.
Bryzgalov's shutout the Ducks three times since then. In his career,
he's is 10-7-2 with a 2.66 goals-against average against his former
team. How's that for sweet revenge?
"I always felt that I was capable of being a No. 1 goalie, and here I
got an opportunity to prove myself," Bryzgalov, who won a Stanley
Cup with the Ducks in 2007, told the Associated Press. "That team will always been with me in
my heart because I spent seven years in that organization, and you
can't throw that away. But right now my home is with the Phoenix
Coyotes."
Taylor Pyatt got the scoring started for the Coyotes about half-way through the first period.
A power play goal by captain Shane Doan made it 2-0 in the second
period, and an empty-netter by Lee Stempniak late in the third period
was the final nail in the Ducks' coffin.
The Coyotes' power play is still far from good. Doan's goal was
encouraging, but the team failed to capitalize on five other
opportunities with the man advantage.
Next up for the Coyotes is the Minnesota Wild in Glendale on Thursday. For more Coyotes info click here.
