Phoenix Coyotes at Colorado Avalanche
- Phoenix has won six of its last eight meetings with Colorado, including three of the four matchups between the clubs last season.
- The Avalanche have been outscored 6-1 during their current two-game losing streak. At 4-0-0, Colorado is the only team in the league who has yet to lose at home this season.
- Phoenix has won each of its last two road games, outscoring its foes 6-1 in those games. Five of the Coyotes' nine wins have come on the road this season
- Ryan O'Reilly leads all Western Conference rookies with 11 points this season (2g, 9a). However, he has been held without a point in each of his last two contests.
- Colorado has not scored nor allowed a power-play goal in five straight games.
- Ilya Bryzgalov's 1.54 GAA on the road is the best in the league among goalies with three or more road starts this season.
Coyotes-Avalanche Preview
By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA,
STATS Senior Writer
(AP) -- With bankruptcy proceedings over, the Phoenix Coyotes should be able to remain in Glendale, Ariz. Unfortunately, they can't avoid a trip to Colorado.
Following their first loss in four games, the Coyotes look to hand the Western Conference-leading Avalanche their first home loss Wednesday night.
Phoenix (9-5-0) fell 5-3 to Los Angeles on Monday night after winning seven of nine. The Coyotes, though, got some positive news Tuesday, with the closing of the bankrupt franchise's sale to the NHL.
Notification of the closure was filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, as the NHL payed about $140 million for the club. The league plans to resell the team, preferably to an owner that won't move the franchise.
For now, Phoenix's biggest concern will be trying to find a way to beat a Colorado team that is 4-0-0 at home. The Avalanche (10-3-2) are eager to head back to the Pepsi Center after a tough second half of a four-game road trip, losing consecutive contests in regulation for the first time this season.
"I don't know if there isn't a little bit of fatigue setting in from being on the road so much," said first-year coach Joe Sacco, whose team has played 11 of its last 13 on the road.
The Avalanche play three straight and four of five at home, where they have outscored opponents 16-7.
Colorado is coming off a 3-0 loss to Vancouver on Sunday night, failing to give goaltender Craig Anderson any support. The Avalanche were shut out after being held to one goal in a loss to San Jose on Friday night.
Anderson, who tied an NHL record with 10 wins in October, has played every minute for the Avalanche and owns a 2.11 goals-against average.
He could be involved in a matchup featuring two of the league's hottest goalies, as Ilya Bryzgalov is expected to make his 12th start after sitting out the Coyotes' last game.
Bryzgalov is 8-3-0 with three shutouts and a 1.78 GAA. Phoenix started Jason LaBarbera versus the Kings and matched a season high in goals allowed.
The Coyotes needed a clutch effort from Bryzgalov in a shootout to win their previous game, 3-2 against Anaheim on Saturday night.
"We don't think we've played our best hockey and that's frustrating and disappointing," winger Shane Doan said.
Doan had a goal and an assist against Los Angeles to take over the team lead with 12 points (four goals, eight assists). He has six goals and 10 assists in his last 12 games versus Colorado.
Doan, the seventh overall pick in the 1995 draft, will get another chance to mentor the eighth selection in 2008, Mikkel Boedker.
The 19-year-old winger was recalled Tuesday. He was held off the scoresheet in five games with the Coyotes this season before being sent to San Antonio of the AHL.
Boedker, a native of Denmark, had 11 goals and 17 assists in 78 games as a rookie last season. He scored in Phoenix's 3-0 win over Colorado on April 1, the teams' last meeting.
The Coyotes won the season series 3-0-1, holding the Avalanche to one goal or none in each of their victories.
Updated November 3, 2009
