Tonight’s contest in Nashville, between the Predators and the Phoenix Coyotes, is a pivotal game for the wild card race out west.
Phoenix comes into the game at 87 pts, just two points back behind the Dallas Stars. The key factor in this race, is that the Coyotes play one more game than Dallas down the stretch. That being tonight’s game in Nashville. The Predators are coming off a 3-2 loss to Dallas Tuesday night, which eliminated them from playoff contention.
Phoenix was on the verge of playoff elimination themselves Tuesday. Down late in the third period against Columbus, defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson found the back of the net to tie the game. They would end up losing the game, but gained a crucial point down the stretch.
“The point we got could turn out to be a very valuable point,” Tippett said. “The bottom line is now we’re in a situation where we’ve got to win out. That’s just the way it is. The players recognize that, the coaching staff recognizes that and we’re preparing accordingly. … We’ve always been a realistic group and we know exactly where we are.”
The Coyotes aren’t playing their best hockey, not winning a game in their last five games (0-2-3), they remain in the hunt for the final playoff spot.
“Our margin for error is slim,” Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said.
With Nashville out of the playoff race, look for them to play the spoilers.
photo credit: getty images