When at Mullett Arena, anything is possible. The Arizona Coyotes completed a miraculous comeback against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night, climbing all the way from a four goal deficit to win 5-4. 20231227_PostGame_Tourigny_FTP How did this all happen? These two teams actually met on Saturday night where the Avalanche handedly defeated Arizona 4-1. It seemed like the Coyotes were facing some Déjà vu as despite having an overall strong first period, they found themselves down 1-0. In the second period, the Coyotes completely collapsed. Colorado scored three straight goals and led this game 4-0. All seemed lost for Arizona. They were playing like a defeated team and the crowd at Mullett Arena grew silent due to the onslaught that was being given to them by the Avalanche. The Coyotes needed a spark of any sort. They were given a little spark in the form of a Lawson Crouse goal 16:31 into the second period which cut the lead to 4-1. That’s all the Coyotes needed. In the third period, Arizona transformed into a completely different team. All of the sudden, they were playing a fast and physical brand of hockey that completely threw Colorado off guard. Michael Kesselring’s goal 3:48 into the third energized the crowd and really put the Coyotes in a position to climb back. A few minutes later, Jason Zucker scored on a wraparound attempt making it just a one goal game. The Coyotes were just flat out dominant, completely outplaying the 2022 Stanley Cup Champions. Coach André Tourigny made a gutsy call by pulling his goaltender with well over two minutes left to play, but he was just that confident in how his team was playing. All that confidence paid off. Sean Durzi arguably played his best game as a Coyote and it was headlined by a rocket of a shot from the point which found its way into the back of the net with just a couple minutes left to go, tying the game. In magical fashion, Jack McBain snuck his way into the front of the net to score the overtime winner, propelling the Coyotes to this improbable comeback. The Coyotes continue to show heart and resiliency. Whenever it seems they are down and out, this team always finds a way to climb out of these holes and put on a show in the process. It’s not just that they are a more skilled team than in years past. Arizona is fun and exciting to watch and it’s because of their new found culture. By being around the players and coaches, it’s clear that this group is tight knit and really do believe in one another which is beginning to translate on the ice. It’s incredible to see the Coyotes go from the laughingstocks of the NHL to a team that very well could make the playoffs. As it stands currently, the Coyotes hold the first wild card spot in the Western Conference with a 18-14-2 record and 38 points. There is something special about the Coyotes that is just hard to explain. Mullett Magic is a slogan to describe the Coyotes at home, but it also defines what this team truly represents: A gritty team that never quits and has some sort of magical feel to them, seeming almost like a Disney movie. Watch out for the Coyotes because if they keep this up, who knows what they can accomplish down the road.
