Such is the way when you have two of your favourite teams matching up against one-another, both sides can't win, leaving you in a position of feeling more let down for the team that lost than the team that won. Now both teams are close to my heart, and I have seen the Coyotes play more than any other team this season, but I found this a really hard defeat for the Pens to accept. I almost feel offended that Phoenix decided to turn up and play for once. Since early December the Yotes have been disappointing and lacked any semblance of form. Including getting beat off the worst team in the NHL in the previous game. Indeed Buffalo have managed to sweep the Yotes this season. So what made Phoenix decide they wanted to win this game? Why did Mike Smith suddenly realise he is an NHL goaltender again, instead of giving up cheap goals? If they can beat one of the best teams in the NHL, then why cant they play like that every game and make a real push for the playoffs?
Zbynek
Michalek came to Jobing.com Arena on Saturday determined to make
sure Sidney
Crosby and his line didn't have a big night for the Pittsburgh
Penguins. Not only did Michalek and defense partner Oliver
Ekman-Larsson keep Crosby and his linemates off the scoresheet,
the former Penguin also snapped his own 83-game goalless drought.
Michalek scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the second
period and the Coyotes beat the Penguins 3-1 before an overflow crowd
of 17,362.
"I almost forgot what it feels like. It's
been almost two years," said Michalek, whose last goal was
on March 12, 2012, for Pittsburgh; ironically, it came in a win
against the Coyotes. "It definitely felt good. Hopefully I
don't have to wait as long for the next goal.
Michalek, who left Phoenix for Pittsburgh as a
free agent in 2010, was traded back to Phoenix during the 2012 NHL
Draft. In addition to the goal, he was credited with four of
Phoenix's 20 blocked shots, including one blast from Crosby in the
first period that he took in the shoulder.
"This one feels good for me … even
sweeter," Michalek said of the goal and the victory. "Any
time you play against your former team you want to show up. You want
to win that game. For me this one feels great and I'll enjoy it
tonight."
Mike
Ribeiro scored his 200th career goal and added an assist as the
Coyotes (26-19-10) rebounded from a 3-2 loss Thursday to the worst
team in the Eastern Conference, the Buffalo Sabres, to beat the
beasts of the East. Radim
Vrbata scored an insurance goal in the third. The win pulled
Phoenix (26-20-10) within one point of the idle Vancouver Canucks for
the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Coyotes also
have a game in hand. Coming back from a two-game benching, Phoenix
goalie Mike
Smith made 23 saves, with several of his best coming early in the
first period. He also made two big saves on Brandon
Sutter during a power play midway through the third period to
preserve the Coyotes' two-goal lead.
"It was a win that everyone had a big part
in and it was nice to get back in there and play well and gain some
confidence," Smith said. "It's frustrating not
playing, but (backup goalie Thomas
Greiss) deserved to play and I needed to work on some things.
Hopefully we can keep pushing forward now."
Evgeni
Malkin had the only goal for the Penguins (38-15-2), who lost in
regulation for the third time in the past 13 games. Pittsburgh came
into the game 11-3-1 against the Western Conference, but never led
Saturday.
"I thought we had some good chances. Smith
made a few good saves and we didn't capitalize on others."
Crosby said. "They play a pretty tight game and if you don't
cash in on your chances … they shut it down pretty well there in
the third. We didn't make it tough enough against them in the third."
Goalie Marc-Andre
Fleury made 27 saves but was denied his 30th win of the season.
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