Respect, gotta be earned. Usually the hard way. The Coyotes are doing their damndest to do just that. From their teammates, their fans and the rest of the world. There is a whooole lot of hockey to be played but if they continue to play the way they’ve started, there is no doubt in my mind that the hockey world will sit up and give credit where credit is due.

FOMs > than FOGs. GMDM has assembled a staff that knows how to do things right. (I know we all kvetched when Sulliman was brought in but apparently he’s doin just fine too) From the coaching down to the equipment handlers, everyone is on the same page, a team page, a pack page, a winning page.

We’ve been on a peak, there will be valleys. Teams still can’t believe what the standings are telling them and we’re still under the radar. But I have to tell you the weather is really fine down here in 09. I know I shouldn’t be all over the gloating thang but c’mon, it feels good to be able to point to the statistics in rebuttal to the haterz doesn’t it? And where the hell is the Canadian media? I guess now that they would have to refer to us as the Pacific leading Coyotes or the top of the league Phoenix Coyotes instead of the bankrupt Coyotes, we’re just not as much fun to write about.

So now that we’ve slapped the Stanley Cup champs, ditched Detroit, beat the Bruins, bruised the Blues, sauted the Sharks and konked the Kings maybe we can start gettin some love? Naaah, you’re right, let ‘em ignore us. We’ve got other things to think about.

Tonight we play the Kings again. The also rising Royals are quietly putting the moves on unsuspecting teams. King Kopitar, Frolov the wonder hobbit and Jonathan ‘they call me’ Quick are a sneaky band of miscreants. We can’t overlook them in our tour de force. We’ve both got 12 points (they have played a few more games than us) and we’re #2 in the conference, while they sit perched at #6 with a bullet. League wise its even tighter with us at #6 and them at #8. whodathunkit? Neither team wants to end their current winning streaks (we got 4 in a row, they are looking for a third). King Kopitar and his trusty knight Smyth are already in the double digits for points (16 & 14 respectively) while we are really spread out over the pack for ours. No matter, that may just make it easier for the Hanzal led Czech Federation to shut them down. It should be a very exciting game. We’re close in performance but with the home advantage, the coaching staff should be able to come up with some good matches.

Of course there are some sweet tickets available. You really should come out and watch. The Russian pillow they call Bryzzie (top dawg in shutouts and GAA in the league) along with firecrackers like Upshall and Prucha will definitely make it worth the price of admission.

********In other news********

I guess we’ve got court again on Monday at 1:30. A status hearing of some sort apparently. I think Moyes wants to see what the NHL has up its sleeve and the NHL needs to test the water on its bid language so they can get this over and done. Ice Edge is sitting in the wings, patiently waiting with wallets in hand (they’ve been to several games and show no signs of being scared off by the attendance issues). I won’t be in court on Monday but check Schoeder’s FB and HCKYFN on Twitter for updates as usual.

Sean Sullivan has been called up from the Rampage. Z has a wonky ankle and Sweets shows no signs of returning to the ice yet. With a road trip on the horizon, we need to take a 7th blueliner with us, just in case.

As always… Go Coyotes!

Sorry for the gaps but it has been a hell of a week. Got the new job (thanks to all my hockey family who really, really supported me through my unemployed period of hell). 14 hour days are a biyatch but at least I’m workin eh?

So the Coyotes are officially doing their Blues Brothers imitation? They are on a mission and have no intentions of being stopped. People can laugh all they want but I am getting the feeling that the boys intend to be battling for the cup… not just a spot at the table.

With Tippett and company not accepting any excuses, Coyotes players are digging down deep and finding ways to win, not finding excuses for their losses. The team is manning up in a big way. The 2 losses have been fair and square (although the home opener really pissed me off *no excuse for you either Tip! those lines sucked, if you have a group playing like these boys were on the road, don’t frack with it* )

This season’s wins over the Sharks, Pens and Bruins can’t be simply chalked up as the boys getting up for big opponents. The kids are being prepared the right way for every game. I’ve got a feeling that Steve Peters and crew are in film heaven, as all the coach’s demand training film for every training session (and its actually being used). This team exudes quiet confidence and a certain joie de vive that has not been seen in recent memory.

The staff are calmly directing traffic, correcting errors rather than punishing mistakes. The goalies have a coach with a plan that fits them as individuals ( AZBarbie had the game of his life and Breezy has regained his pre-Coyotes form). Its early days yet but all indications are that Arizona has a hockey team. A REAL HONEST TO GOD hockey team! Go Yotes!

So today’s Paw Prints is a recap of sorts, bear with me as I catch up.

Leaving Pen’s station with the W – whodathunkit? Malkin invisible, Crosby invisible, the Yotes VS the 08 cup champs and coming out on the fun end of a spanking? Un-fricking believable. Way to start shutting up the haterz boys!

Cut to the bone, those backstabbing Sabres stuck it to us. But thats ok, the Pens game made the pain a little easier to take.

Home opener – Columbus! You Party Poopers – the welcome back white out was a huge, fun success…except for the L at the end. Tailgating with the Coyotes Coalition all day and joining the other nutcases for an arena filled with noise and anticipation was awesome. We did lose but damn if it wasn’t the most fun I have ever had enduring a loss. There were soo many retro jerseys and new-to-me faces in the crowd that I completely have faith in a resurgence of hockey fans in the desert. Seriously, a few more wins, a few more above-the-fold positive stories in the Pube and the Coyotes tickets just might become the hot-to-have item in Arizona. *thank god I will now be able to fund mine instead of relying on the kindness of my friends* (thnx Teal/Missconduct and Don) to reamain part of the pack.

On the road again – Sharks 10/12/09. Wow! Just frickin WOW! Nabby VS Breezy, what is the world coming to when Breezy is hangin tough with one of the premiere goalies in the NHL? Another dbl shut out (remember Breezy VS Turco last season?) The feisty Russian is struttin his stuff. With the help of his trusty blueline, Bryz is smothering teams with his pillow imitation (pucks come in but they don’t get out). A 1 – zip shoot out win over the Pacific division’s perrennial champs is a huge statement about the defensive changes ala Tippett. Gotta love this hot start business.

Givin the Blues…the blues – former Coyotes player Tkachuk and co were no match for a Coyotes team on a mission. This was an especially sweet win after last year’s disappointing series (a sweep no less!). This was a monkey off our backs for sure and a great jumping off point to go into the Bruins game. (Good things happen when you crash the net eh Jovo?)I didn’t get to hear the Blues feed, so I missed the Panger’s take, I’m sure it was bitter sweet for him. I miss the little homer.

Boooos abounded as Bruins got taken behind the woodshed… and SPANKED! 4 – 1 final. It was great to see the trim an energetic DMO on the ice (still adore him no matter what uni he wears) and even better to join in on the booing of young Wheeler (I know he did what was best for himself but still feel betrayed so he’ll continue to get the bizzness everytime he hits Arizona ice). Poor Timmy Thomas, looked like he was groin tight all night. Slow lateral movement and stretching everytime there was any time out. We took it to one of the best of the East and it felt damn good.

Next up? 4 days off, lets hope the boys used the time wisely. Pickin up the practice pace on how to score. I don’t mind a 1 -0 W, but it would be nice to get a few more goals per game. (especially right now when the only thing critics can pick on for is low point production) And yes I remember, we only need one if we don’t let the other team score at all LOL With the PK and the EV strength game rollin tight, I’m assuming Tippett and Co will continue to hone those skills but put some extra bite into the PP and Pack scoring (less pretty passing and more sniping).

Power rankings are fun to read when you are one of the top dogs. Even ESPN can’t avoid giving us props.

Redwings arrive tomorrow! Hopefully without the unlucky-for-us #13 on the playing roster. Datsyuk is always a menace we could do without, but didn’t he do this to us last year? Hang out on the DTD list til they came to Phoenix? It will be interesting to see Holmstrom and Aucoin have some serious discussion about Holmie’s butt in Bryzzie’s face. Maybe Ozzie’s struggles in the net will be just what the scoring committe needs to get crackin on those GF stats. Looking forward to this game more than almost any other. Time to build on our Wing singe-ing techniques from last season.

It is howling time in the desert. The boys are doing their part… step up Coyotes fans, old and new. Its GAME ON ARIZONA! They are playin for you.

Great Pics from BTinAZ!

Blues

Jackets

Tailgate

As always… GO COYOTES!

The 2009 home opener has finally arrived. The Yotes are still in Glendale, Arizona. The game is sold out. The Coyotes will never have a better chance to make a good impression on current, former and potential fans. Tonight is a PR dream, a White Out in the Jobing.com Arena! A win tonight would be a hell of a birthday present for Captain Shane Doan (the only player left on the squad who actually has been to a white out before) and a serious reward for all the hardcore fans who have stood by this team through the darkest of days.

Its time for the team and the fans to step up for their part. GMDM made us some pretty big pledges, he’s kept his side of the bargain. The Yotes are off to a great start, sitting 2-1-0 and hoping to mark another W in the stats column. The only way to do that is:

STAY OUT OF THE PENALTY BOX! – cannot stress this enough. Bryzzie can only do so much. Continually taking away his underpinnings will be fatal to our chances. No more stupid penalties, after the whistle antics can kill!

ROCK BOLL’S WORLD IF HE EVEN LOOKS AT A COYOTES PLAYER WRONG – but make sure you take him with you to the box for just as much time as you. We have to start making the statement that we will not be trifled with. Martin Hanzal should not be enforcing anything! A team that has Jovanovski, Vandemeer, Bisionette, Doan and Pyatt has enough disciplinary members to take care of any monkey business.

FIND A WAY AROUND THE JACKETS PK. – these guys are lethal on the kill so far this season, Vest reports that the Jacket kill ratio is 90.9%! Our PP will need to capitalize. Boedker, Upshall and crewmates can draw all the penalties they want with their devastating speed, it won’t mean a thing if we can’t get that swing. Gotta take advantage when it’s presented to us.

GET HOT AND STAY HOT – we’ve had a little rest, time to turn on those after burners. Feed off the crowd, have fun, shoot early and shoot often. Mason is beatable but we’re going to have to shell him like a D day assault squadron. None of this snake bit crap, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try! TRY! again, somethings bound to go in. It is definitely time for some other folks besides Vrbata to kick in a multi goal night (JovoCop? is that you? YO! Adrian! Mueller? Mueller?)

MAKE RICK NASH INVISIBLE – the kid hasn’t made much goal noise yet but we have seen first hand what he can do. He’s already got 4 assists and is a danger every time he hits the ice. Limit his ability to move, crush his ability to make a difference and take away the backbone of the Columbus attack.

We can do this! We’re rested, we’re dangerous in all 3 zones, we’ve got the 6th man advantage and we’ve got a rejuvenated Bryzgalov in net. Let’s Go Coyotes! Get us that home opener win for the 8th season in a row!

Problems and injuries:

Sauer is still having headaches, taking away one of our key defensive weapons. Sami Lepisto is doing an admirable job. Let’s hope that continues tonight.

Prucha update: our crazy Pruuuu!!!! will be re-evaluated before game time. We really need the Czech Federation to be whole and hardy for this one but most of all we just want Pruuu! to be okay.

Taylor Pyatt is skating again but not quite ready to join the squad.

The Coyotes Coalition invites you all to tailgate party with them in Lot J before the game from 1 – 4PM (password to the parking attendants is Save the Coyotes), then the doors will be open and we can all fill the JobArena with joy. Even Eric D applauds this idea as a great idea. HKYFN will be judging the best sign competition after warmups, bring your sign down to the glass (a Doan birthday salutation, a simple welcome home, I <3 Howler) whatever you think you want the boys to know about how you feel.  And of course, the greatest game in the world will start at 6PM. There will be in game contests throughout the night, prizes given away like usual. If you couldn’t get a ticket, McFadden’s Restaurant & Saloon in the Westgate City Center, they are hosting a Coyotes Opening Night Viewing Party for you, so come out to the tailgate and head over to McFaddens for the game.

See you there!

Happy Birthday Shane Doan!

As always… Go Coyotes!

Dammit, I want to scream and yell that the refs sucked and that this game should have yielded a point for us at least. But alas, the referees will always be sketchy at best and that would belittle the heroic efforts of a pretty damn good Buffalo team. We mostly lost due to our inability to stay out of penalty trouble. 2 – 1 Sabres

Story of the night was Jason ‘AZBarbie’ Labarbra. The guy was on freakin fire all night long. One game does not silence all my concerns but if he continues to play like this all season, he will have my respect and my undying love for the rest of his career. The kid was a beast! The Sabres threw crap at AZBarbie that I didn’t know was legal on the ice. He faced brutal flurries (39 shots total), screens and assorted sorties that would have screwed many top notch goalies. He had lots of help but the PK opportunities finally took their toll on his defensemen and even the best goalie can only stop so much. Great job Jason, you gave the boys a real shot at the win.

We played hard, we were fast and agile and the spirits were willing but the bodies couldn’t hold out. After losing 1/2 the Czech Federation (Prucha and Hanzal) for most of the game, life got ugly for the boys. Prucha was taken out by a ‘questionable’ dirty hit from Kaleta and could not return to the game. (I hope the NHL reviews and kicks Kaleta’s ass to the suspension curb, this hit is only questionable if you are a moron)

Hanzal immediately came to the defense of Pruu! and was assessed 19 minutes worth of penalties. 19 minutes! My god, we’ve seen guys do 10 times worse and not recieve those kinds of minutes. It was ridiculous. We could ill afford to lose such vital components to our system but to give the boys their due, they soldiered on and held the Sabres at bay until the final minutes of the game. It is a credit to the roster and to Tip’s system that no one missing part could cause a meltdown.

After taking on the Pens in their barn and shutting them down the night before, I really expected the boys to be slower and maybe not as feisty in the 2nd game of a traveling back-to-back. I was wrong, the boys came out flying and more than held their own against, the well rested and not too shabby in the speed department, Buffalo team. Lindy Ruff called it a track meet and said his boys were ready for a foot race. He was right. The wiley Sabres were ready and willing and didn’t overlook the Coyotes in any way. Credit to Ruff for being a very savvy coach, he wasn’t trying to ’save Miller for an important team’ he played all his best available because he saw something dangerous in the new Coyotes.

Tippett was understandably disappointed in our performance for the night. The boys fell back into old habits for a bit, with a few vital minutes of dump and chase (battles to get to the pucks which we lost). He pointed out that being tired was not an acceptable excuse, they need to do their jobs regardless. This kind of demand for accountability is exactly what the boys need to become all they can be.

We come home to the white out welcoming committee ( a sold out Jobing.com Arena) with 4 of 6 possible points. (More than many expected considering that we played 2 of the NHLs top competitors on this road trip) Its still a great start, its still been a fine look at what the boys can accomplish with hard work, good direction and determination.

If you haven’t been to a hockey game, didn’t know that Arizona was lucky enough to have professional hockey or just need something to do on Saturday night that will be fun and exciting, be sure to grab a ticket. The 2009 Phoenix Coyotes are hosting phenomenal seats at $15 dollars ( they are sold out but there are standing room only tickets) and there isn’t a bad seat in the Jobing.com Arena. The Phoenix Coyotes will PLAY FOR YOU!

The City of Glendale is hosting White Out Week in honor of the new season start. Be sure to check out Glendale’s schedule of happenings! Glendale Got Game, do you?

As announced by Dave Strader during the game, The Coyotes Coalition (a group of passionate and dedicated hockey fans) also invites you to come out to the pre-game tailgate party (Oct 10th from 1pm to 4pm, in parking lot J) for some hockey talk, some social networking, some fun and friendship. Everyone is welcome to celebrate the home opener with us. So grab your tickets, white outfits, your lawn chair, your grill and come out with us to help the Coyotes howl Glendale down in their season opening White Out appearance.

Hope to see you there.

As always… Go Coyotes!

Phoenix Coyotes may have a new owner… in principal?

Not only are the Phoenix Coyotes coming home from the road with 4 of 6 possible points, they may be coming home to meet their new owners. According to Daryl Jones of Ice Edge Holdings “Ice Edge recently met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman about a potential deal. The group has also reached an agreement in principle with the city on a new arena lease and it has held almost daily discussions with city officials to work out details.”

We may be on the road to recovery off the ice as well as on the ice! Keep your fingers crossed, the future is seriously looking up in the desert.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/prospective-owners-to-take-first-hand-look-at-the-coyotes/article1318030/

As always… Go Coyotes!

Well its only 2 games into the season and the Coyotes are 2-0-0. Should I have made that font bigger? You read it right… 2 wins, no ties or losses. Yes those Coyotes. The ones mired in uncertainty, knocked for a loop by BK court and lacking any big name guys. You remember the team everyone loved to see come to their barn for the easy 2 points?

We headed into Pitt riding on a 6 – 3 win over fellow bottom feeder LAK. If you hadn’t watched the game, you might have just figured it was our normal trodding over them just to stay off the bottom of the cellar floor. (we’ve traded wins like that sometimes in the past) That win was more than that. It was the debut of the new and seriously improved system of the Desert Dawgs. That win was the warning shot over the forward bow of the 2009 season. (funny how nobody understood that we only intend to give 1 warning) We displayed attack sense, total committment to owning all 3 zones and a fearless pack mentality to keep pushing, tearing , biting right to the last buzzer. The LAK folks and the world at large dismissed this win, Doughty had a bad game, Quick hadn’t hit his stride. (funny how we’d hear these same sentiments but w/ different names attached, a few nights later)

You might have good cause to ignore the LAK win but how the hell do you dismiss shutting out the defending Stanley Cup champions? Oh wait for it…. the backup goalie wasn’t good enough (bullshit! that kid robbed Doaner from point blank range) Syd was off, Geno was off and of course, my favorite, they are struggling with cup hangover. Everyone can say what they want but good old fashioned hard work won this game. The Yotes didn’t LET the Pens catch their stride, didn’t LET these guys get focused, didn’t LET those boys take over the game. They were’nt given a damn thing. They flat out TOOK it.

Can no one give us props for what we’ve done? I’m not asking for a wholesale conversion here. But these guys have overcome one of the most bitter, degrading, contentuous off seasons ever seen in the NHL. Ridiculed and dismissed for a decade, laughingstock franchise that no one wanted to own, coaching/training deficiencies out the wahzoo and they haven’t give up. These guys take whatever comes their way and continue to give their all. They deserve better from the NHL family and the media.

Tippett’s system works. Burke’s training works. Maloney’s vision works. The proof is in the pudding and let me tell you its turning into quite the tasty dish. Just watching Hanzal shutting down the Kid and Geno…didn’t seem to matter which one was on the ice last night, they were both pretty ineffective. Bryzgalov defending his 9th shutout with authority. Sami ‘the pistol’ Lepisto stepping into the big skates of the injured Kurt Sauer seemingly seamlessly. Fiddler in the face off circles at 63%. Prucha on his back, nay! on a Penguin back, catching a rebound and putting it in the net. Jovocop, putting Malkin on the ice AND putting our PP front and center with his first of many beautiful goals. Vrby/Hanzal letting the world know all about the new Czech federation with one of the sweetest empty netters I’ve seen in a long time.

Every member of this pack is playing the system to the best of their ability. They’ve bought in, they’ve committed and they’re ready to take on all comers. I know its early, but for those of us who have followed this team through thin and thinner, who have given their hearts, souls and hard earned dollars to this team, it feels like we are finally reaping the rewards with a team that believes in themselves as much as we do. An unselfish and dedicated group of guys who are playing for us as much as themselves.

The new Phoenix Coyotes have made a committment to each other and to their fans. That is not a chip on their shoulder, thats the boulder of determination, to prove to the world that they are professionals, good, hardworking professionals, dedicated to the pursuit of the greatest trophy in the world. There will be ups and downs, there will be skids and slumps but it feels like hope around the Valley of the Sun, certainly for the first time since the move to Glendale, it feels like winning.

Tonight we take on Buffalo, a team that has been in our shoes not too long ago. These guys should remember their own mindset and beware the Pack. Lindy Ruff is nobody’s fool, he’ll be ready. Do they have the speed to keep up with the big Dawgs once they get rolling? Can Miller stop the Czech Federation? Can anybody stand up to Jovocop patrolling the blueline with big guns blazing? How many pucks will not make it past that shot blocking monster named Z? Can AZBarbie step up to the plate and get the critics off his back too? Guess we’ll all have to be glued to the TV or the radio (xtra 910 is our audio feed w/ the beloved Heeter calling the games solo) or even online to find out.

Wanna talk about it live? Try HFBoards or TheNHLArena or Five4Howling. The Twitterverse will be buzzing all game long with theYotesDiva , Mark, HKYFN and myself. Can we come home 3-0-0? We’ve already gotten 4 of 4 possible points, lets hope we can steal another 2 from BUF.

We have 4 new places buzzing about Coyotes hockey… Bob, Larry , Mark and Hendrickshockey.com will soon have some good Yotes content as well… stroll by, give them some love please.

As always…Go Coyotes!

TV: FSN-ARIZONA

Radio: XTRA 910 AM

We need to get the young guns going early… Boedker, Mueller and Hanzal will be dangerous enough, under Tippett’s new system, to be key factors in getting good scoring opportunities.

We are seriously competent 5 on 5. We are seriously at a disadvantage right now when we get PIM issues.  Apparently Scottie Upshall has been given the ’stay out of the box or you’ll sit on the bench’ talk by Tippett (and has felt the sitting punishment already in the later portion of the Kings game). I think we’ll see a much more careful Uppy this game. We do have to stay out of the box though. One of our worst areas last game was the PK. *lookin at you Kurt!* I know it is early and folks aren’t all the way up to speed yet so I won’t be pissy about this problem yet.

Hopefully Bryzzie can get some serious rebound control going, the Pens are notorious for those 3rd n 4th attempt scoring opportunities. We definitely can’t afford to leave anthing juicy around for Syd or Geno to swipe at (especially that stupid sliding on your butt highlight thing Syd practices every day to make teams look completely inept)

The keys to a Coyotes victory will be scoring by committee again (its fine for Vbrat to lead the way but every body has to contribute… one man cannot do it all). Watch for Lombo, Mueller, Uppy, Vrbata and Doan to set fire to the rubber all night. It’d be sweet to see Jovo find his scoring touch early and heat up the blueline contributions.

Another key will be the forwards continuing to harrass the crap out of everyone attempting to enter our zone. This was a big key to the Kings victory. The Pens are too dangerous to just skate around with a puck. They have their own speedsters, we’ll have to hope Tip gets his matchups so that his system can operate well. Tip stresses an aggressive forecheck and constant/consistent back pressure. Forcing turnovers and creating odd man rushes could become SOP for this new Coyotes team. Hopefully Hanzal will have a great time containing Malkin, he’s certainly made Thornton’s life a misery, may he be just as successful with Geno.

We are dangerous because we are fast and tenacious, hopefully teams continue to underestimate just how fast we are for a long time. Our improvement in the face off circles has already resulted in increased puck possession and apparently we have figured out that if we’ve got the dang biscuit, we should try stuffing it in the basket. Look for Fleury to have an aggravating night.

I’m torn… it’d be sweet to set some tongues wagging, beating the current Cup holders would certainly do that. Back to back wins against the flightless birds (and especially in their own barn)would be a bold announcement that we are here and ignoring us would be hazardous to your post season dreams. On the other hand, it could be to our advantage to continue to roll under the radar ( catching as many teams as possible unprepared, could give us a nice cushion for those lean times when we can’t buy a goal). Of course I’m all for the bold statement. It would be fun watching all those who have written us off due to the summer bedlam, try to retain their credibility while they scramble to find reasons why they always knew we could do it.

Its US against the world!

As always… Go Coyotes!