Yotes Notes: WHL Playoffs & Record-Setting Keller

Clayton Keller has been a marvel this season.
Just one year removed from a devastating leg injury, the 24-year-old star is in the midst of a 13-game point streak, becoming the first Coyotes player to accomplish that since the team relocated prior to the 1996-97 season.
The organization's record is owned by Dale Hawerchuk, who recorded an 18-game streak in 1984-85 with the then-Winnipeg Jets.
The three-time All-Star's 36 goals are (obviously) a career high this season, and his knack for finding the back of the net seems to increase as the game wears on considering he's scored seven goals in the first period, 11 goals in the second, and 16 in the third, along with two overtime winners.

They have also come evenly split - 18 both at home and on the road.
He's recorded 21 multi-point games this season - 13 two-point and eight three-point outputs - and he has become the first Coyotes player to reach the 80-point benchmark since Keith Tkachuk recorded 86 in the 1996-97 season.
With seven games remaining in the season and Keller officially at 81 points as of Tuesday, eclipsing that mark is well within reach.
Keller's performance all season gives Coyotes fans plenty of reasons for optimism, and the future is only going to get brighter with the talent developing in Arizona's pipeline. Two of the team's top prospects - Conor Geekie and Dylan Guenther - are set to kick off the WHL playoffs on March 31.
Geekie's Winnipeg ICE finished with the best overall record, earning the East's top seed. The 18-year-old forward, who was drafted 11th overall at the 2022 NHL Draft, has recorded 35 goals and 42 assists in 66 games this season.

Winnipeg kicks off its series against the Medicine Hat Tigers on Friday.
Guenther's Seattle Thunderbirds, meanwhile, finished with the league's second-best record and earned the West's top seed. The 19-year-old started this season with the Coyotes, where he notched 15 points in 33 games, and has 13 goals and 16 assists in 20 games after he was assigned to the Thunderbirds.
Seattle opens its series against the Kelowna Rockets on Friday as well.
On to the show!

The Week in Review

Tuesday, March 21 | at Winnipeg Jets | 2-1 Loss
STATS
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THE WRAP
Barrett Hayton scored his 15th of the season to pull the Coyotes to within a goal in the second period, but two Jets first-period goals proved to be too much in the 2-1 loss in Winnipeg.
Arizona finished its season series against the Jets 0-2-1.
Wednesday, March 22 | at Edmonton Oilers | 4-3 Loss (overtime)
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THE WRAP
Keller scored twice, and the Coyotes led the Oilers twice (2-1 and 3-2), but Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' third-period goal forced overtime, and Edmonton superstar Connor McDavid won the game in the extra frame.
Nick Schmaltz finished with two assists in the game, while J.J. Moser chipped in the other Coyotes goal.
Friday, March 24 | at Colorado Avalanche | 3-1 Loss
STATS
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THE WRAP
Arizona kicked off a home-and-home against the Avs on Friday, and though Keller's first period goal tied the score against the defending Stanley Cup champions, Colorado used two third-period goals to pull away.

Karel Vejmelka stopped 27 of the 30 shots he faced in the game, but the Coyotes were unable to find the back of the net following Keller's goal.
Sunday, March 26 | vs. Colorado Avalanche | 4-3 Loss (shootout)
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THE WRAP
The Coyotes extended their point streak at Mullett Arena to eight games, but ultimately fell 4-3 to the Avalanche in a seven-round shootout.
The Avs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second period, but Matias Maccelli and Christian Fischer scored one minute apart in the third to tie the game. Valeri Nichuskin's power-play goal briefly restored Colorado's lead, but Keller fooled everyone with a spin-o-rama goal with under five minutes remaining to force overtime.
Ingram shined in the extra frame and shootout, but Nichuskin's goal in the seventh round cemented the win for Colorado. The Coyotes finished the season series 1-1-2 against the Avs.
Monday, March 27 | vs. Edmonton Oilers | 5-4 Loss
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THE WRAP
There's no rest for the weary, and the Coyotes turned around to face the Oilers (yet again) just one day after facing the Avalanche.

Just as the story has gone all season, Arizona erased a two-goal third period deficit rather quickly behind goals from Maccelli and Barrett Hayton. The two forwards scored twice in the game, but Nugent-Hopkins' power-play tally at 12:05 of the final frame proved to be the game winner.
The Coyotes finished the season series against Edmonton 0-2-1.

Down on the Farm

Tucson Roadrunners (29-29-6, 7th place, Pacific Division)

Team Leaders

Atlanta Gladiators (32-25-6, 5th place, South Division)

Team Leaders

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The Sweet Spot

March 26: Clayton Keller's third period goal ties the Avs, extends his point streak to 12 games, and records his 80th point of the season.

Bear's Necessities

"I always joke with him, I say you can pass the puck to their goalie. So, now I don't say 'shoot the puck,' I say, 'pass the puck to the mesh.' He did it twice again tonight, so he needs to keep passing the puck to their goalie, it works well." André Tourigny on Matias Maccelli's recent uptick in scoring, including a two-goal performance against Edmonton on Monday.

What to Watch For

Friday, March 31, vs. Dallas Stars, 7:30 pm MST

Friday marks the fourth-and-final game between the Stars and Coyotes, and the second at Mullett Arena. Dallas is currently third in the Central Division - just recently leapfrogged by the Avalanche - and has dropped four of its last six games.
The Stars are led by forward Jason Robertson's 91 points and 41 goals, while defenseman Miro Heiskanen's 51 assists lead the way. The team has become an offensive juggernaut of sorts this season, boasting five players with 60-or-more points.
There's been a little trouble between the pipes as of late, as backup goalie (and former Coyote) Scott Wedgewood has missed 17 games with a lower-body injury. Though he may be close to returning, starter Jake Oettinger has carried the workload in his absence, starting 13 of the team's last 16 games.
Matt Murray - not to be confused with Toronto's goalie of the same name - has made the other three starts, which mark his first-ever NHL action. The 25-year-old is 1-2-0 with a 3.39 goals-against average and .844 save percentage, while Oettinger is 31-10-11 with a 2.50 GAA and .918 SV%.
Dallas plays at Chicago on Tuesday before traveling to The Valley for Friday's game.
TV: Bally Sports Arizona Extra | Radio: KTAR 92.3 FM (Pregame show is stream only)

Saturday, April 1 vs. San Jose Sharks, 7 pm MST

Saturday's game is the third-and-final meeting between the Coyotes and the Sharks, with the last coming on Jan. 10 at Mullett Arena. San Jose has won both games to this point, 3-2 and 4-2, but has struggled mightily as of late.
The Sharks have lost nine straight and 17 of 19, though four of those have come in either overtime or a shootout.
Defenseman Erik Karlsson's 90 points and 68 assists lead the team, and Logan Couture lead's the way with 25 goals. Between the pipes, James Reimer and Kaapo Kahkonen have split duties, with the former posting a 10-18-8 record with a 3.40 GAA and .891 SV%, while the latter is 8-18-6 with a 3.89 GAA and .878 SV%.
San Jose hosts the Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights before visiting Arizona.
TV: Bally Sports Arizona Extra | Radio: ESPN 620 AM

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