Preview: Coyotes Host Predators on Inspiring Women Night at Mullett Arena

March 28, 2024 | 7 pm MST | Mullett Arena, Tempe, Ariz.
TV: Arizona 61 | Radio: KTAR News 92.3

Fresh off a 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Arizona Coyotes are set to host the Nashville Predators at Mullett Arena on Thursday.

The Coyotes and Predators are facing each other for the fourth-and-final time this season; Arizona won the first two meetings 7-5 and 3-2, while Nashville won 5-4 in overtime on Feb. 10.

Arizona is celebrating Inspiring Women Night on Tuesday, featuring warm-up jerseys created by Coyotes graphic designer Skylar Eades that are already up for auction.

Fans interested in placing a bid can do so here. Funds raised will be used by the Arizona Coyotes Foundation to support education, health and wellness, and economic advancement for underserved and diverse communities – their three main pillars of service.

Rookie Josh Doan scored two goals in his NHL debut on Tuesday, and is set to suit up with the Coyotes again on Tuesday. The 22-year-old was recalled from the Tucson Roadrunners on Monday, and played on a line with Jack McBain and Matias Maccelli against Columbus.

Defenseman Sean Durzi recorded two assists in Tuesday’s win, and officially has 100 career points in 202 total games. 35 of those points have come with the Coyotes, as the blueliner has eight goals, 27 assists, and a minus-1 rating in 66 games with the Desert Dogs this season.

“It probably just means that I’ve played with a lot of good players,” Durzi said with a smile. “You play in the NHL, and some accolades come along the way which always humbles you, but this is pretty special.”

Coyotes head coach André Tourigny said the 25-year-old Durzi brings an element to the Coyotes that will be beneficial for years to come.

“His game has grown defensively, he wants to be good defensively,” Tourigny said. “He still has development, he still needs to keep working on quickness – quickness of his decisions and quickness of his shot – I think he’s a really good person, a really good player who wants to be better every day, and we like that competitiveness about him.”

Goalie Connor Ingram is expected to start, and he’s has earned a win in two of his last five appearances. He is 19-19-3 with six shutouts, a 2.87 goals-against average and .908 save percentage this season, while posting a 2-1-2 record with a 4.11 GAA and .889 SV% against his former team.

Player to Watch: Clayton Keller has at least one point in six straight games, and has five goals and 13 assists in 17 career games against Nashville.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS
Nashville is the hottest team in the league, having won six straight and eight of their last nine games. The Preds are in the Western Conference’s first Wild Card spot with 90 points in 72 games, just four points behind the Winnipeg Jets for third place in the Central Division.

“We’ve played better hockey lately, but this will be a test. It will be a test for maturity, to compete,” Tourigny said. “We know a lot of adversity will happen in the game. If you’re a competitor, you like adversity. It’s the situation you want to perform in – it’s what you dream of.”

Forward Jason Zucker returns for the first time since being traded to the Predators earlier this month, where he has recorded two goals and one assist in eight games. The 32-year-old notched 25 points in 51 games with the Coyotes this season and was an integral part of the team’s early-season success.

“I can’t say enough good things about that guy, on and off the ice,” Durzi said. “Just the teammate he was, always doing his best to help our group bond, and I think that goes a long way whether that shows or not. It’s going to be fun to see him tonight.”

Center Filip Forsberg leads the team with 81 points, but Roman Josi (73) isn’t far behind. Gustav Nyquist (65), Ryan O’Reilly (61), and Thomas Novak (39) round out the top five.

Between the pipes, Juuse Saros has won his last five starts, and is 32-21-4 with a 2.75 GAA and .909 SV%. Backup Kevin Lankinen is 10-4-0 with a 2.90 GAA and .904 SV% this season.

The Predators are 12th in the league with 3.25 goals-for per game while allowing the 10th-fewest goals per game at 2.92. They rank 20th on the power play (20.25 percent) and 21st on the penalty kill (77.21).

Player to Watch: O’Reilly is coming off a three-point effort against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, and has 15 goals and 23 assists in 47 career games against Arizona, including two goals and one assist this season.