'Yotes Notes: Doan Scores 400th Goal in 1,500th Game

GLENDALE --Captain Shane Doan scored his 400th NHL goal while playing in his 1,500th game on Friday night at Gila River Arena.
Trailing 2-0, Doan notched the milestone goal with 43.4 seconds left in the second period against Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen. Doan took a pass from defenseman Connor Murphy near the bottom of the left circle and beat Andersen with a shot on his short side.

Murphy said Doan, who became the 93rd NHL player to score 400 goals, deserves the credit for the goal and for reaching the two milestones.
"I just had to put it on a tee, slide it over," Murphy said. "'Doaner' is such a good finisher ... There's very few players that have done that or are ever going to do what he has. It would have obviously been nice to play better for him."

• The two big story lines surrounding the game were weaved together at center ice when Doan and Toronto rookie Auston Matthews battled for the opening face-off.
The game was the 1,500th for Doan and the 33rd for Matthews, but the first in Arizona for the Scottsdale product and resident.
Doan is not a center and he was not announced as a starter, but Head Coach Dave Tippett suggested he take the opening face-off vs. Matthews, who idolized Doan as a Coyotes fan growing up, to make the moment extra special for both players, but mostly for Doan.
"I appreciated that," Doan said. "It was an incredible gesture by him."
No words were spoken during the face-off, which Doan won.
"The game was going," Doan explained. "I didn't want to lose it."
Tippett said it was an extraordinary game.
"Because of Shane's 1,500th, because of Auston, it was a good day for hockey in Arizona," Tippett said. "There's a lot of people very happy for Auston and the success he's having and will continue to have, and I think Auston is very appreciative of the people of Arizona and the opportunity they gave him as a young player. There's a good feeling both ways there. It's great to see Shane, the milestone. You just wish it all could come with a win."

• Matthews was nearby when Doan scored his 400th goal.
"Yeah, it would have been nice if I wasn't on the ice for that one, but I'm really happy for him," Matthews said. "He's been such an amazing, not only hockey player for this team, but, you know, in the community obviously you see during the intermission breaks the people that he touches and affects. It just shows you how much more, you know, it is to him not only to be a hockey player but just an amazing person in the community."
• Doan became just the 17th NHLer to play in 1,500 games. Before the game, just before the end of warm-ups, fans showered Doan with hats - mostly cowboy hats - as a salute to his feat. Later, Doan received a hearty standing ovation from fans when his accomplishment was announced during a break in the action in the first period. His teammates and coaches, and the Maple Leafs players and coaches, joined in the ovation.
"People were here obviously because of everything Auston represents with the state and the state of hockey here," Doan said. "That's special. For the game to be my 1,500th, that was something that coincided nicely. It worked out well, but we've got to find ways to win games. It's no fun being on this side way too many times."

• Peter Holland helped set up Doan's goal. He has three assists - all vs. the Maple Leafs - in six games with the Coyotes since coming to Arizona in a trade with Toronto.
• The Coyotes played with a lineup the featured seven defensemen instead of the usual six.
• Neither defenseman Jakob Chychrun (upper-body injury) nor forward Ryan White (lower-body injury) played in the game. They are considered day-to-day.
• Defenseman Kevin Connauton played his first game since Dec. 3. He logged 11:15 of ice time and took two shots on goal.
• The Coyotes are off until Tuesday when they host the Dallas Stars.
"I think our team needs a break," Tippett said. "We're struggling to score goals, and we're making some mistakes at key times that are really coming back to bite us."

Murphy agreed.
"We're not going in the right direction," Murphy said. "Maybe a little bit of time away from the rink with our families would be good to clear our minds and take some of that stress away ... There's still a lot of the season left."