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Geregistreerd op: 10 Jul 2019 Berichten: 1200
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Geplaatst: 22-07-2019 02:32:30 Onderwerp: four to six weeks. |
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GLENDALE, Ariz. - Shane Doan stood in front of his stall scowling, the crimson in his cheeks as much from the anger inside as the physical toll from 60 minutes of give-it-all-you-got hockey. His answers were terse, key words repeated for emphasis. Once he was done with the short interview session, Doan put his head down and marched toward the back locker room in quick, purposeful steps, the rage seeming to build as he went along. Faced with a must-win game in a season that was starting to slip away, the Phoenix Coyotes fell flat, losing to the team with the NHLs worst record — at home, no less. It was more than the Coyotes captain could take. "I dont even know what our level is because were barely above average right now, if average," Doan said after the Coyotes lost 3-2 to Buffalo on Thursday night. "Its not acceptable. Not even close." The loss continued a downward spiral for the Coyotes. Playing with an owner for the first time in four years, Phoenix opened 14-4-3 for the second-best start for a franchise that started in Winnipeg in 1979. Since then, inconsistency has reigned. Once a team that relied on its grittiness and defence-first mindset, Phoenix has instead become a team that has been caught in a back-and-forth struggle, winning some games by outscoring opponents, others by occasionally getting back to its stay-at-home roots. Phoenix had a stretch with one win in six games at the start of 2014 and has lost four of six after the setback against the last-place Sabres Thursday night in the second game of a critical five-game homestand. Once in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, the Coyotes are ninth in the West with 60 points, three behind Vancouver. "It is frustrating," said Coyotes forward Antoine Vermette, who has eight goals in eight games and a six-game points streak. "You dont want to look too far (ahead) in your schedule, but we know our situation." What made the loss to Buffalo harder to swallow was that the Coyotes had seemed to get back into their defence-and-counter groove Tuesday night against Los Angeles. Playing arguably its best game of the season, Phoenix limited most of the rival Kings chances to the outside, generated numerous good scoring chances and went on to win 3-0 behind backup goalie Thomas Greiss second shutout in three starts. To keep climbing up the standings, or at least maintain their positioning, all the Coyotes had to do was knock off the Sabres, who came into the game with the fewest wins (14), points (36) and goals (101) in the NHL. Phoenix got off to a solid start, out-shooting Buffalo 21-12 in the first period. The Sabres ended up scoring first, but the Coyotes rallied with two goals in a span of 18 seconds of the second period to go up 2-1. After that, the Coyotes sat back, almost as if they were waiting out the win instead of going to get it. A series of turnovers led to two goals for the Sabres, putting them up 3-2. A big push by the Coyotes in the third period led nowhere, leading to perhaps the most disheartening loss of the season and one very angry captain. "Were up 2-1 to start the second and we do absolutely nothing, nothing as a group. Absolutely nothing," Doan said. "We have a chance to put a team away when youre up 2-1 at home, and I dont think we got a shot for 12 minutes. Its embarrassing. Its embarrassing." The Coyotes still have time to turn it around. After facing a tough game against Pittsburgh on Saturday night, Phoenix plays its final three games before the Olympic break against teams still in the Western Conference playoff hunt: Chicago and Dallas twice. Once they return, the Coyotes will have 24 games left to make a push. Theyve done it in the past, including a late-season run to the conference finals in 2012. To do it again, they will have to play much better than they have lately. Hugo Ayala Jersey .com) - Joique Bells touchdown run in the fourth quarter gave the Detroit Lions a 20-14 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Javier Aquino Mexico Jersey . The Brazil defender was substituted 13 minutes into Wednesdays 2-1 Copa del Rey win at Athletic Bilbao because of a right hamstring problem. Scans revealed a second grade tear which could keep him out for a reported four to six weeks. http://www.nationalsoccermexico.com/marco-fabian-mexico-jersey/ .com) - The New York Rangers hope to punch their ticket to the second round when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday for a Game 6 battle at Wells Fargo Center. Rafael Marquez Jersey . New York Red Bulls. TSN primes Vancouver fans for the start of the 2014 season with MLS on TSN: Season Preview Special airing tonight at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt on TSN2 (encore Friday at 3:30pm et/12:30pm pt on TSN2). Jesus Manuel Corona Mexico Jersey . When the next inning rolled around Wednesday, though, Nationals manager Matt Williams sent Strasburg to the mound to face the top of the Dodgers order in what would become a 3-2 victory for Washington, the first time this season the No.St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - Martin Brodeur posted his first shutout as a member of the Blues in St. Louis 3-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday. Brodeur, who spent his first 21 seasons with the New Jersey Devils, has tallied the most shutouts in NHL history over the course of his prolific career and made 16 saves to earn number 125. Dmitrij Jaskin, Chris Butler and Vladimir Tarasenko all scored for the Blues, who ended a four-game skid with a solid defensive effort. I think hes gotten more comfortable here, Butler said of Brodeur. I think tonight was an awesome performance by him. Semyon Varlamov allowed all three goals on 25 shots as Colorados three-game winning streak was snapped. Its clear that we need to do things differently, Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy said. Neither team was able to convert in the opening stanza as Colorado held an 8-5 shot margin after twenty minutes of play. It didnt take long for St. Louis to start the scoring in the second period as Jaskins shot from the right circle went under the pad of Varlamov for a Blues lead 28 seconds into the frame. Butler took a dish from T.dddddddddddd. Oshie off the cycle, charged in on net from the left circle and finished the play by elevating a backhander over Varlamovs shoulder for a 2-0 game at 4:30 of the second. Varlamov denied Maxim Lapierres one-timer point blank early in the third to keep it a two-goal game. Tarasenko intercepted a Colorado pass in the offensive zone and capped the scoring on a quick wrister with 4:35 left in regulation. Game Notes Blues forward Paul Stastny finished with two assists ... Varlamov stopped all 20 shots as Colorado shut out the Blues. 5-0, on Dec. 22 ... Colorado forward Alex Tanguay played in his 500th career game ... The Blues improved to 15-4-1 when scoring first this season ... Butler scored his first goal as a member of the Blues. The veteran defenseman spent his six previous seasons with Buffalo and Calgary before signing with St. Louis in July ... Avalanche forward John Mitchell took charge of the physical side of the contest with a game-high seven hits ... The two teams will conclude their season series at Scottrade Center on Jan. 19. ' ' ' |
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