NHL Commentary
By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Saturday, February 1, 2014

GLENDALE, Ariz. – In a season loaded with ups and downs, the Phoenix Coyotes may have reached their ultimate low point this past Thursday, when they blew a lead at home and lost to the Buffalo Sabres – the worst team in the National Hockey League.

Following the game, and a closed-door session with his teammates, Phoenix captain Shane Doan called the performance “unacceptable.” In particular, the way the Coyotes allowed themselves to play to the low level of their opponent.

A standing-room, sellout crowd of 17,362 at Jobing.com Arena watched to see how the Coyotes would respond to the challenge of facing Pittsburgh, the top team overall in the NHL Eastern Conference finishing a two-game Pacific Division road swing.

At least 10,000 of those fans, by the way, were decked out in Penguins gear. Local ownership, however, was likely glad to see the luxury suites filled, even with the black or powder blue jerseys from the Pittsburgh faithful. It’s all part of the major league experience in the Valley of the Sun. Same thing will happen Friday when the Chicago Blackhawks arrive for the final game prior to the Olympics.

Because of a recent funk that bumped Phoenix out of the top eight in the NHL West, the Coyotes needed a big win and got one Saturday – 3-1 over Pittsburgh while shutting down the Pens’ top line of Sidney Crosby, Craig Adams and Trevor Glass. After scoring 15 goals in January, NHL scoring leader Sidney Crosby was held scoreless on two shots on goal.

Marc-Andre Fleury was 13-4 in his previous 17 starts, still searching for win No. 30 on the season. That 30th win could happen for Fleury when the Penguins return home Monday to meet Ottawa.

Evgeni Malkin scored his 16th goal in the second period, but Coyotes netminder Mike Smith slammed the door after that, stopping 23 of 24 shots.

Mike Ribeiro put Phoenix on the board in the first period with his 200th NHL career goal and Radim Vrbata tacked on an important goal early in the third period. In between, Zbynek Michaelek scored his first NHL goal in 83 games to put the Desert Dogs ahead to stay.

The Penguins, like San Jose, are among the teams the Coyotes don’t want to face in an overtime or shootout situation. Vrbata made sure it didn’t come to that.

“Our guys came to play, that’s for sure,” Phoenix Coach Dave Tippett said. “It was a tough game, a fast game, and our guys figured out a way to get on top of it.

“We’ve got three games left before the (Olympic) break and we’d like to carry this levell of play through,” Tippett said.

Penguins Coach Dan Bylsma said, “We ran into a hot goaltender and we had a lot of chances. (Smith) made four really good saves early. I don’t think we tested him nearly enough.”

While the Pens weren’t happy with a loss coming 48 hours after a 4-1 at Los Angeles, the Coyotes were happy to pick up a couple of badly needed points, especially after embarrassing themselves 48 hours earlier in the same building.

Daniel Dullum covers the NHL for SportsTalk

(TAGS: NHL.Pittsburgh,Penguins,Phoenix,Coyotes)