The Sports Network
(Sports Network) - A pair of struggling clubs will battle in the desert on
Monday, as the Phoenix Coyotes welcome the Nashville Predators to Jobing.com
Arena.
Each team has one win in five games this season although Nashville is better
off in the Western Conference standings thanks to three overtime losses. The
Coyotes are 1-4-0 and currently sitting in the conference basement.
The Predators earned a point in their most recent loss, dropping a 3-2
shootout decision in Anaheim. Ducks goaltender Viktor Fasth, who was making
his NHL debut, stopped David Legwand in the final portion of the shootout to
help seal the win for Anaheim.
Legwand and Brandon Yip scored in regulation for the Predators, who also got
20 saves from Pekka Rinne. Nashville has played in three shootouts thus far
and has lost every one.
"We had a good start, we got the lead, but they responded well," Nashville
coach Barry Trotz said. "You need some luck. We just haven't scored enough
goals."
The Predators are 1-1-1 on a seven-game road trip and will close the swing
with stops in Los Angeles, San Jose and St. Louis.
The Coyotes have lost two straight since beating Columbus for its only win of
the season. Phoenix opened a three-game homestand on a sour note, dropping
Saturday's 4-2 decision to the Los Angeles Kings, who received two goals from
Anze Kopitar.
Shane Doan and Mikkel Boedker each had a goal for the Coyotes, while Jason
LaBarbera gave up four goals on 31 shots in the loss.
"We've felt like we control these games for 15 or 20 minutes at a time, but we
have to find ways to play a full 60 minutes," said Doan. "It's frustrating,
I'm frustrated, nobody likes the way things are going right now.
The Coyotes have been without No. 1 goaltender Mike Smith since he left the
first period of Wednesday's win over Columbus with a lower body injury. Chad
Johnson has served as the backup to LaBarbera in Smith's absence.
Smith, who had a career year with Phoenix in 2011-12, is questionable for
Monday's game. Smith was able to skate on Sunday and is considered day-to-day.
The Coyotes are playing the middle portion of a three-game homestand and will
close the residency Wednesday night against Edmonton.
Phoenix and the Predators have split eight meetings over the previous two
seasons, but Nashville has claimed seven of the last 12 encounters. Each club
has four wins over the last eight meetings in Arizona.
The Sports Network