Struggling Chicago Blackhawks downed by Phoenix Coyotes
Two goals scored a little more than 30 seconds apart was enough to help the Phoenix Coyotes get a win against the defending Stanley Cup champions, as the Coyotes defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 on
Wednesday, 10 November.
How it happened
Chicago took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period through Bryan Bickell who tallied his third of the season. The Blackhawks did well controlling the puck and cycling it deep in the Coyotes zone before
Troy Brouwer fired a wrist shot on net, which was deflected by Bickell and trickled through the legs of Jason LaBarbera in the Coyotes' goal.
Kyle Turris tied things up for the Coyotes after Scottie Upshall released Wojtek Wolski setting up a 2-on-1. Wolski waited patiently and fed a perfect pass between the goalie and a sliding Blackhawks defenceman
for Turris to tip in.
Not long after and the Coyotes had the lead on another 2-on-1. Eric Belanger took control of the puck after a Blackhawks defenceman failed to control the puck in the Coyotes zone. Belanger opted not to
make the pass, instead firing a hard slap shot past Marty Turco.
What they're saying
The Blackhawks have now lost four of their last five games, but their captain Johnathan Toews is adamant that his team is not about to let a bad spell get the better of them.
"We're not going to turn on each other," he told reporters after the game. "We're not going to get frustrated and we're not going to get negative. We'll battle through this and we're going to keep believing
that we're a good team, because we know we are."
"I think everybody has stretches where they're on top of their game and at their best, and some stretches where they're looking to keep themselves in the game and get through it," Blackhawks head coach
Joel Quenneville said about defenceman Duncan Keith who has struggled so far this season, and is now a minus-7 on the year. "He can be better."
He will need to be better on Saturday, 13 November when the Blackhawks take on the Nashville Predators in Nashville.
The Coyotes ended a three-game winless streak by defeating the Blackhawks and improved their record to 5-5-5 on the season. LaBarbera was solid in goal for the Coyotes stopping 35 of 36 shots to earn his
first win of the season in relief of starting goalie Ilya Bryzgalov. They get set to take on the Calgary Flames in Phoenix on Friday night.
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