It may be time to hop off the Arizona Coyotes’ bandwagon. The Coyotes lost their eighth consecutive game on Friday night, this time in the form of a 5-1 defeat against the Carolina Hurricanes. 20240216_Tourigny_Postgame Through this difficult losing streak, Arizona has played undoubtedly their worst hockey of the season and it didn't get any better on Friday. Jordan Martinook scored 16 seconds into the game for the Hurricanes and that really set the tone for the rest of the night. The Coyotes have had issues all season starting games off strong as they are constantly giving up goals minutes after the opening puck drop which just kills any sort of momentum. Coach André Tourigny took full responsibility for his team’s slow start. “Obviously the way we started the game is unfortunate,” Tourigny said. “It’s not because we didn’t play well, but we need to be more detailed and that’s on me and that’s my responsibility to make sure that doesn't happen.” While the Coyotes found their legs and had a strong end to the period, they still found themselves down 2-1 following the first 20 minutes of play. The contest got out of hand in the second period when a sloppy defensive zone turnover and careless penalty caused two Hurricanes’ goals. “I think they were a tough team to play in the second because of the way they put pressure, the way they don’t let you change,” Tourigny said. The one bright spot of the game actually came in the third period when Tourigny allowed Matt Villalta to relieve Karel Vejmelka in net. Villalta was recently called up from the Tucson Roadrunners and this was his first taste of NHL actions so it was certainly a special moment despite the unusual circumstance. “On a personal note, it’s something very special and definitely a cool moment despite the loss tonight,” Villalta said. “I’m very thankful and fortunate for everyone who has helped me get to this point. I’m just trying to soak it all in as much as I could and stay in the moment at the same time. Definitely a cool moment for myself and family.” The Coyotes’ season direction has drastically changed from just a few weeks ago. At this point in time, it seems the team is heading towards missing the playoffs once again which could still change if they are able to flip the switch quickly. Arizona will be back in action on Sunday with a matchup against the Colorado Avalanche.
