With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, the Coyotes had a sudden jolt of energy which led to an impressive 4-0 victory against the Red Wings on Friday night.
The Arizona Coyotes won their first home game on Friday night since January 22 as they defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-0 in convincing fashion.
The Coyotes made three trades before Friday’s deadline, dealing Troy Stecher, Jason Zucker and Matt Dumba away.
This was Arizona’s first game following the trade deadline and something felt different. It almost like a weight was lifted off of their shoulders and they seemed to have a jolt of energy.
Usually the first period is where the Coyotes struggle most, but against the Red Wings it was the complete opposite and they actually played phenomenally.
The Coyotes scored three goals in the first period and two of them came from Nick Bjugstad and Alexander Kerfoot who both found themselves in trade rumors before the deadline.
General manager Bill Armstrong decided to keep these two players and they both came up with big-time plays in this game.
It was the Coyotes’ best period in a longtime which really set the tone for the remainder of the contest.
In the second period, Detroit started to pressure offensively, but it was Connor Ingram who kept them off of the scoresheet.
Ingram made big save after big save, ultimately helping the Coyotes increase their lead and stay in the driver's seat.
Through the first half of the season Ingram was one of the best goaltenders in the NHL and despite cooling down a bit, he looked to be just right in this game. He also recorded his sixth shutout which ties Tristan Jarry for the most in the NHL.
“He was huge,” coach André Tourigny said of Ingram's performance. “When your goalie makes the difference like that, that changes your team. You play with kind of an edge, a confidence. I think Iggy was big…”
It was really a standout performance from the Coyotes in what felt like a win that this locker room desperately needed to boost morale even if it didn't have much playoff implications.
With all of the constant trade rumors in the rearview mirror, the Coyotes were just able to play their game.
“I think tonight the guys were more in control, focused on the task,” Tourigny said. “I think they were not shaky. I will say to be honest, probably relief. We had a good feeling right from the gecko. They arrived today at the rink and we felt better.”
Even with the playoffs out of reach for the most part, it’s still important for the Coyotes to win games and show growth as a team.
Tanking is not always the answer. Arizona is at a point where they need to show progress which they did through the first half of the season and now will have to continue that over the final stretch of the year.
The Coyotes are back in action on Sunday, facing off against the Chicago Blackhawks on the road.