Coach André Tourigny reflects on the Arizona Coyotes trip to Australia following two preseason games against the Los Angeles Kings.
The Arizona Coyotes ended the NHL Global series in Australia against the Los Angeles Kings with a 1-1 record taking a 5-3 victory on Friday night and 3-2 loss on Saturday night.
The Coyotes had the unique opportunity to start training camp and the preseason in Australia which the team truly cherished. It was not only a great experience for the Coyotes but also for the people of Australia, many of whom got to watch professional hockey for the first time.
“I want to thank them for their welcome here and the time we've been here,” coach André Tourigny said. “I talked with a lot of guys and just positive things came out of it,”
Arizona’s young players shined through these two preseason games as Logan Cooley, Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton and Matias Maccelli were all able to score goals.
These two preseason games had a regular season feel to it. Most players for both the Kings and Coyotes will most likely be on the roster come opening night so fans may have gotten a little sneak peak on what is to come this upcoming season.
“I think it was a great opportunity for us to be here as a team in having a chance to play a NHL team with a full roster,” Tourigny said. “So I think it was a really good opportunity to speed up a little bit our our tempo, our comprehension, and what we're trying to do on a lot of situations, neutral zone, forecheck, breakout whatever, a lot of system stuff and as well learning to know each other and being in a competitive environment.
“I think that we were fortunate to hang out together, to have team building, team activity, to have fun, to laugh, to go through the grind together. I think that will pay off.”
There is a lot to reflect on for the Coyotes following this lengthy trip to Australia but it will certainly be one that the players will remember for a long time.