OdinMercer Sports News

CoyotesHipCheck Press

Oct. 17, 2008

Phoenix (2-1-0) (1-1-0 Road) (4 Points)

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Ottawa (1-1-1) (0-1-0 Home [Europe doesn't count!]) (3 Points)

Start time 4:00 pm Arizona Time

Phoenix TV: FSN - Arizona

Radio: AM 910

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OTTAWA - The Coyotes continue their 4 game road trip tonight in Ottawa. (Geography fact: Ottawa is the Capital of Canada … No, it is not Toronto.) The guys will need to come out hungry and aggressive as that’s what has been the key in their two victories. On Wednesday against the ‘Hawks they started that way, but had the wind knocked out of them a bit when Derek Morris had to leave the game, and was later sent to the hospital after a linesman stepped on his hand with a skate during an altercation with Chicago’s Adam Burish. After that the ‘Yotes were able to net a goal, but a combination of lost intensity, Khabibulin making some excellent saves and a few mental lapses caused a 4-1 loss, the Coyotes first of the young season.

Derek Morris met them at the airport and should be playing in tonight’s game barring any last minute changes. Just in case, the Coyotes called up Ryan Lannon from SA on an emergency call-up should Morris’ injury keep him out of the lineup.

Head Coach Wayne Gretzky has changed some of the lines for tonight’s game. They are expected to be, in no particular order:

Shane Doan-Kyle Turris-Enver Lisin
Peter Mueller-Olli Jokinen-Mikkel Boedker
Todd Fedoruk-Steven Reinprecht-Kevin Porter
Daniel Winnik-Martin Hanzal-Viktor Tikhonov

Ilya Bryzgalov will make his fourth start of the season tonight.

Some players to keep an eye on for the Yotes:

Daniel Carcillo, who needs to get moving in a big way, we know the scoring power is there, but he hasn’t been playing with the same edge ever since the coaching staff basically told him not to go fight people. If he can set records in PIMs and get 13 goals in 50 games then why not let him off the leash a little and see what happens?

Daniel Winnik - He may not be racking up the points, but he has brought a physical game to the rink every single night. He has made the opposing team fear having the puck even though he isn’t the biggest or most intimidating guy. He’ll light the lamp sooner rather than later with how he’s been digging in the corners for pucks and absolutely mugging the other team and taking the biscuit away.

On the Senators view:

Ottawa may see the return of their Captain Daniel Alfredsson since he was sidelined after having surgery to remove a bone chip from his knee. There has been speculation that he could play tonight, but the team has yet to confirm if he will or not. Historically the Senators have had problems whenever Alfredsson has been out going 3-12 in the last 15 games he has missed. Even if the Sens are without Alfredsson, any team with Danny Heatley and Jason Spezza starting on the top line is a dangerous one and shouldn’t be overlooked. Another thing that could play against Ottawa is the fact that due to starting the season in Europe their schedule has been stretched out quite a bit. They last played on Saturday the 11th recording a 2-3 loss against the Red Wings.

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