2020 Playoff Series Taught Coyotes Valuable Lessons

The Coyotes' exit from the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs came at the hands of Colorado Avalanche, tonight's opponent.
Arizona was eliminated in five games in the best-of-seven Western Conference Quarterfinals series.
The teams face off, 7 p.m., at Gila River Arena. They are separated by two points in a West Division that still has plenty of parity. The Coyotes are in 4th-place with 21 points; the Avalanche are in 6th-place with 19 points.

Seventeen players on the Coyotes' current active roster were on the 2020 extended playoff roster.
Head coach Rick Tocchet says the Coyotes learned many valuable lessons.
"The guys know," Tocchet said. "The last thing they need me is to come in and say, 'Hey, did you see those last two games (of the playoff series)?' We've actually thrown that video out - no, actually, I used one clip for a power play thing. But that video is gone, now. There's nothing to learn from it other than the fact that if you don't have 'compete,' hockey IQ and execution level, you're not going to beat anybody. I don't care who you play. That's really what you learn from that."
Tocchet believes some players can - and will - use the 2020 postseason experience for added motivation.
"Hopefully, it sparks some guys to really bring their game tonight," Tocchet said. "Use that as motivation. 'Hey listen, they spanked us in the playoffs in those two games.' Whatever it takes to get yourself going, I'm all for it."
Tonight marks the first of eight regular season meetings against the Avalanche. The Coyotes have won two straight games; the Avalanche enter with consecutive losses.
The teams haven't played since Game 5 on August 19, but Alex Goligoski says an air of acquaintance remains.
"We got really familiar with them there in the bubble," Goligoski said. "They took it to us pretty good. So, we know them pretty well. They're a fast team, they play with a lot of pace, a lot of energy. So, we're going to have to be ready to take some short shifts. And when we're out there, we have to be ready to go. And when we get to the puck, we've got to be ready to attack them. They're a team that likes to attack, and when you can get them to turn pucks over, or when you get the puck, there's opportunities out there. So you've got to be ready to go play."

Discipline will be key, Goligoski said. The Coyotes are the 10th-least penalized team in the NHL, averaging 8.6 penalty minutes per game. The Avalanche power play ranks 12th with a 23.1 percent success rate.
"Staying out the penalty box would help," Goligoski said. "They obviously have a great power play; they have a great penalty kill too. They have great special teams. So, we want to play a real disciplined game and obviously key on the top line with (Cale) Makar back there. They're high-skilled guys and we've got to be real disciplined on them."
Tocchet accepts accountability for the blowout losses last season, but stressed that those two performances should not define the team.
"You can't define (us in) 36 hours or 48 hours, because we weren't good, obviously," Tocchet said. "So, that's the way I look at it. But saying that, (Colorado) is a high-level team. They're built to win a Stanley Cup, and we have to execute. Execute, 'compete,' and hockey IQ - we lacked those in that Anaheim series. The last two games -- I didn't think we had those three things collectively. If we play Colorado, you have to have those three intangibles as an individual."
A quality team figures out a way to address adversity - and defeat - and grow. Tocchet believes the Coyotes benefited from the playoff exit last season, even if it did leave a sour taste.
"There's a lot of lessons in your hockey career, and this is one of them." Tocchet said. "It's not just for the young guys, the older guys too. But it does give you a sense of where you're at, and where you've got to get to as a team or as an individual. Those are definitely learning lessons. We all have them in our careers. The players that learn the quickest usually are the ones that are successful. I think it goes to this year, especially our fourth-year guys - they've learned quickly from last year to the playoffs to this year. All of those guys have really contributed this year. I think they've taken their game to a different level. There's more there, they know that. But learning from that experience is always going to keep your senses high and your work ethic high."

Lead Photo Credit: Dave Sandford - NHLI Getty Images // Second Photo Credit: Jeff Vinnick - NHLI via Getty Images // Footer Photo Credit: Andy Devlin - NHLI via Getty Images