NHL Update – Phoenix Coyotes stun Dinamo Riga 3-1
One of the toughest matches in the Phoenix Coyotes campaign took place on Wednesday in Riga, Latvia. The Coyotes were up against the KHL powerhouse Dinamo Riga. After a stunning performance by both teams, the Phoenix Coyotes were able to emerge victorious
with an impressive score line of 3-1.
After the win, the Phoenix Coyotes administration said that they believe they are ready for the NHL season. The Phoenix Coyotes will be facing the Boston Bruins in their opening match in Prague this weekend.
"Every win gives you a little more confidence” said Petr Prucha. Petr Prucha scored a splendid score right at the end of the second period with just 2 seconds to spare. He further said "We will use this in the first game. I think we are ready now."
The hostile game this Wednesday saw around 11,000 fans, all of them supporting their home team, Dinamo Riga. After the last game, in which the KHL were able to win against the NHL, the supporters were hoping to see another dominating performance by KHL team.
However, this was not to be as Petr Pricha’s goal in power play was able to break the 1-1 tie, putting the Phoenix Coyotes in the lead.
"I thought it was a good showing by our team," Phoenix coach Dave Tippett said. "Our guys got some important work in and now we are ready for Boston."
Petr Purcha didn’t only score but was also able to provide his teammates with open opportunities. The goal that Purcha scored was a result of a splendid pass by Radim Vrbata that flashed past the Dinamo Riga goalkeeper Chris Holt.
"It was an unbelievable atmosphere," Coyotes captain Shane Doan said. Shane Doan further said that that he felt as if he was playing in a Stanley Cup playoff game rather than just a normal exhibition match. "Arguably, they are the best fans in the world
with the way they support their teams. It was a great experience" he added.
The fans were confident that after the win SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL were able to register yesterday against the Carolina Hurricanes (5-3); their team could surely over power the Phoenix Coyotes. And with the Coyotes managing just one practice session
and not so much time on ice along with the hostile crowd, a defeat looked inevitable.
The Phoenix Coyotes chances of a win looked further difficult due to the fact that almost half of the Dinamo Riga’s players are part of their national team, Latvia. And this gave the chance to these players to show why they were in the national team and
to prove that they were worth the position. But at the end the result showed something else that it’s not the playing big, it’s about playing and performing at the right time. It’s the determination that counts.
"This was good preparation for us," Coyotes defenseman Ed Jovanovski said. "It was kind of difficult starting the day practicing in Prague and then flying out here and playing on the bigger ice, but we found a way to get it done."
The Phoenix Coyotes took the lead first with a goal that came from Taylor Pyatt combining with Lee Stempniak who netted the puck to silence the home crowd. Both of them were able to come up with spectacular plays throughout the game. This time the goal was
scored against Chris Holt who replaced Mikael Tellqvist as the goalkeeper.
The Phoenix Coyotes conceded a goal when they switched goalkeepers. The Coyotes started with Ilya Bryzgalov in the goal who didn’t concede a goal in the 30 minutes he played. But with Jason LaBarbera taking charge of the goal, the Dinamo Riga was able to
score on the 3rd shot they made against him. This tied the score and the home fans went ecstatic.
After the early mistake, LaBarbera was excellent and played a major part in the Phoenix Coyotes emerging as winners.
"That's a big win for us," said Stempniak. "Our guys did a lot of things right tonight."
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