Nov. 1, 2023 | 7:00 pm MST | Honda Center, Anaheim, Calif.
WHERE TO WATCH:
• Antenna: 15.2 Phoenix, 9.2 Tucson, 15.2 Cottonwood/Prescott/Flagstaff/Lake Havasu/Kingman
• Phoenix Cable: Cox 95, Orbitel 200, Mediacom 107 (Pinal County)
• Tucson Cable: Cox 85, Xfinity 1179, Orbitel 208
• Flagstaff: American Cable channel 4
• Sedona: Optimum Cable channel 6
• Prescott: Cable One Prescott channel 61
WHERE TO LISTEN:
• Radio: KTAR 92.3 FM
• Streaming: Arizona Coyotes App, Arizona Sports App
Fresh off an 8-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in Tempe, the Arizona Coyotes head to Anaheim to face the Ducks for the second time this season. Arizona won the first matchup 2-1 on Oct. 21 at Mullett Arena behind a 32-save effort from Karel Vejmelka and goals from Clayton Keller and Jason Zucker.
Forward Michael Carcone recorded his first career NHL hat trick in the win, and the Coyotes scored eight unanswered goals in the process. Aided by that performance, Arizona is tied for the 10th most goals-for per game (3.38), while allowing the seventh fewest (2.63).
Vejmelka is expected to get the start tonight, and is 2-3-0 with a 2.51 goals-against average and .926 save percentage in five games this season. That includes the 2-1 win earlier this year against the Ducks, and the 27-year-old netminder is 1-2-0 with a 3.29 GAA and .904 SV% in his career against Anaheim.
Arizona has continued to play well on the power play this season, putting up the seventh-best percentage in the NHL at 26.47. The Ducks’ penalty kill is tied with for 21st with a 75 percent success rate.
Player to Watch: Forward Nick Schmaltz has fared well against the Ducks in the past, notching six goals and 16 assists in 26 games vs. Anaheim.
ABOUT THE DUCKS
Anaheim has been one of the hottest teams in the league as of late, sporting consecutive wins over the Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins. The Ducks have not lost since Sunday, Oct. 22.
Mason McTavish (5G, 6A) and Ryan Strome (2G, 9A) lead the team with 11 points each in nine games, while Frank Vatrano’s nine goals are tops. Lukáŝ Dostál and John Gibson have evenly split their time in net, as Dostál is 4-4-1 with a 2.79 GAA and .921 SV%, while Gibson is 1-3-0 with a 2.82 GAA and .902 SV%.
Dostal took the loss in the first meeting between the two teams, turning aside 25 of the 27 shots he faced, and was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for October after going 4-1-0, with a 2.79 GAA and .921 SV%.
Anaheim scores almost as much as Arizona does, potting the 12th most goals-for per game at 3.22. Conversely, they give up the 13th-fewest, averaging 3.00 goals-against per game.
The Ducks and Coyotes play once more this season, on Dec. 29 at Honda Center.
Player to Watch: McTavish has two goals and three assists over his last two games, and has recorded 11 points over nine games this season. The 20-year-old forward was selected third overall by Anaheim at the 2021 NHL Draft, and has yet to record a point against the Coyotes in four games against them.
