Yotes Notes: Keller's All-Star Nod & Guenther's Golden Goal

The stars sure aligned for the Arizona Coyotes last Thursday.
First, the league announced that Clayton Keller would represent the Coyotes at the 2023 NHL All-Star Game, which is set to take place at FLA Live arena in Sunrise, Fla. It's Keller's third All-Star nod, which ties Keith Tkachuk and Teppo Numminen for the most appearances in team history.
Keller was also an All-Star in 2019 and 2022.

The announcement came as no surprise, either, considering Arizona's star forward is in the midst of yet another special season with 37 points in 39 games. Keller, who hails from Chesterfield, Mo., has 100 points in 106 games dating back to the beginning of last season.
Shayne Gostisbehere, Jakob Chychrun, and Lawson Crouse also have a shot to represent Arizona, as they are up for the fan vote currently taking place at NHL.com.

Coyotes players weren't done making headlines, though, because just moments following Keller's news, rookie forward Dylan Guenther notched the gold-medal winning goal for Team Canada in the 2023 World Junior Championship.
The 19-year-old Guenther had two goals and an assist against Czechia in the championship game, and finished the tournament with seven goals and three assists in seven games. He returned on Sunday to play his first game back with the Coyotes, and has 11 points in 22 NHL games this season.
Now that was a day to remember for two of the Coyotes' forwards.
On to the Show!

The Week in Review

Tuesday, Jan. 3 | at Florida | 5-3 Loss
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Keller, Nick Bjugstad, and Jakob Chychrun helped Arizona battle back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits, but late goals from Eric Staal and Matthew Tkachuk propelled the Panthers to a 5-3 win.
Arizona and Florida split the season series 1-1, as the Coyotes beat the Panthers 3-1 at Mullett Arena on Nov. 1.
Thursday, Jan. 5 | at Philadelphia | 6-2 Loss
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Michael Carcone notched his second goal of the season to give the Coyotes a first-period lead, but the Flyers used five goals in the second to ultimately pull away. Nick Ritchie notched his eighth goal of the year in the loss, as the Coyotes played their final game this season in the eastern time zone.
The two also split their season series following a 5-4 overtime win at Mullett Arena on Dec. 11.
Friday, Jan. 6 | at Chicago | 2-0 Loss
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Connor Ingram played a stellar game in net, stopping 30 of the 31 shots he faced, but the Coyotes were unable to find the scoreboard in a 2-0 loss to the Blackhawks. Jake McCabe and Tyler Johnson (empty net) both scored for the Blackhawks.
The game was the first of four between Arizona and Chicago, with the next set to take place on Feb. 10 at the United Center.
Sunday, Jan. 8 | vs. Pittsburgh | 4-1 Loss
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Arizona kicked off a three-game homestand on Sunday, but Pittsburgh scored four unanswered goals en route to a 4-1 win at Mullett Arena. Barrett Hayton scored to give the Coyotes an early 1-0 lead, but the team was unable to generate any more goals despite playing sound offensively throughout the rest of the game.
Pittsburgh ultimately swept the season series between the teams following a 6-2 win on opening night, way back on Oct. 13.

Down on the Farm

Tucson Roadrunners (14-14-4, 6th place, Pacific Division)

Team Leaders
\ currently inactive, assigned to Arizona Coyotes*

Atlanta Gladiators (21-10-2, 1st place, South Division)

Team Leaders

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The Sweet Spot

Jan. 5: Dylan Guenther nets the golden goal to send Team Canada past Czechia in the 2023 World Junior Championship.

Bear's Necessities

"He's reliable defensively. He's a guy who wants to be as good offensively as he is defensively. He wins big draws, he can protect the puck, he wins looks puck battles. He goes to the net. He has net presence. He can screen the goalie. He does all those dirty jobs a hockey player can do, plus he has a skillset. He earned his spot there, I didn't give it to him." André Tourigny on Barrett Hayton playing with Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz.

What to Watch For

Jan. 10 vs. San Jose Sharks, 7 pm MST

The Sharks have dropped two straight games and five of their last six, and are currently in seventh place with 32 points in the Pacific Division.
San Jose is led by Defenseman Erik Karlsson's 54 points and 41 assists, while winger Timo Meier's 23 goals are tops on the team. Between the pipes, goalies James Reimer and Kaapo Kahkonen have split time recently. Reimer is 7-12-3 with a 3.22 goals-against average and .895 save percentage, while Kahkonen is 4-7-4 with a 3.79 GAA and .869 SV%.
The Coyotes and Sharks meet for the final time this season at Mullett Arena on April 1.
TV: Bally Sports Arizona | Radio: ESPN Radio 620 AM

Jan. 12 vs. Ottawa Senators, 7 pm MST

The Senators have had an up-and-down season so far, but at 18-18-3, are currently in seventh place in the Atlantic Division. They are 4-2-0 in their last six games, but allowed eight goals to the Seattle Kraken in an 8-4 loss on Saturday.
Thursday's game is the second-and-final time the two will meet this season, as Ottawa took the first game 6-2 on Oct. 22 in Ottawa. Thursday's game also closes out Arizona's three-game homestand.
Forwards Brady Tkachuk (40 points, 26 assists) and Tim Stutzle (18 goals) lead the team in scoring, while Cam Talbot and Anton Forsberg have been the goaltending duo all season long. Talbot is 10-10-1 with a 2.89 GAA and .906 SV% this season, while Forsberg is 7-8-2 with a 3.04 GAA and .909 SV%.
Forsberg, though, has been in net for the Senators' last two wins.
TV: Bally Sports Arizona | Radio: ESPN 620 AM

Jan. 14 at Minnesota Wild, 6 pm MST

The Coyotes hit the road for a quick two-game road trip, starting in Minnesota on Saturday. The Wild have been playing solid hockey as of late, going 9-3-1 over their last 13 games (as of Jan. 9), and are presently in third place in the Central Division.
Saturday's game marks the second of four games between the division rivals, as Minnesota took Game 1 4-3 on Nov. 27. Nick Schmaltz, Lawson Crouse, and J.J. Moser each scored as the Coyotes' late rally came up just short in Saint Paul.
Forward Kirill Kaprizov leads the team in all scoring categories with 23 goals and 25 assists, while veteran netminder Marc-André Fleury is showing no signs of slowing with a 2.96 GAA and .901 save percentage in 25 games. Filip Gustavsson has been even better, posting a record of 9-6-1 with a 2.25 GAA and .924 SV%.
TV: Bally Sports Arizona | Radio: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM

Jan. 15 at Winnipeg Jets, 5 pm MST

The Jets have won five straight games, and are second in the Central Division at 26-13-1. They also won in overtime, 3-2, back on Oct. 28 the first time the two teams met in the first-ever game at Mullett Arena. Sunday marks the second of three meetings between the two, with the third coming again in Winnipeg on March 21.
Christian Fischer scored twice in the first meeting, but Winnipeg rallied to win in the extra frame.
The Jets get contributions from up and down their lineup, as Kyle Connor leads in points (49), Mark Scheifele leads in goals (23), and Josh Morrissey leads in assists (39). Connor Hellebuyk has done the lion's share of work this season, posting a 20-9-1 record with a 2.30 GAA and .928 SV% in 30 games this season. Still, backup David Rittich has been solid as well, going 6-4-0 with a 2.75 GAA and .905 SV%.
Rittich earned the win earlier this season at Mullett Arena.
Winnipeg has road games against Detroit, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh before returning home to host the Coyotes on Sunday.
TV: Bally Sports Arizona / NHL Network | Radio: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM
In Case You Missed It
Mullett Magic: Coyotes Using Temporary Home to Gain Edge Over Opponents
Keller to Represent Coyotes at 2023 NHL All-Star Game in Sunrise, Florida
Yotes Notes: Home Streak, McBain's Night and Hitting the Road