February 9, 2022 | 8:00 PM AZ Time | Climate Pledge Arena
TV: Bally Sports Arizona | Radio: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM
The Arizona Coyotes return to action after losing to Vancouver last night and go head-to-head with the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday (Feb. 9). The game is the franchise’s first ever game in Seattle along with its first game at Climate Pledge Arena. The two teams were originally scheduled to play at Seattle on Dec. 21 but the game was postponed by the NHL due to COVID protocols. Puck drop with the Kraken is set for 8 p.m.
PACK FACTS
Wednesday is the second of three meetings the Coyotes have with the Kraken in 2021-22 and the only one at Climate Pledge Arena. The Coyotes defeated the Kraken 5-4 in the first matchup on Nov. 6. After Wednesday, the teams are scheduled to play one more time this season on March 22 at Gila River Arena.
Climate Pledge Arena will be the 70th venue the Coyotes franchise will play a regular-season game in and marks the second time this season the Yotes will play in an arena for the first time (Other: UBS Arena on Jan. 21). The last time the Coyotes contested in multiple venues for the first time in a season was 2010-11 (O2 Czech Republic in Prague, Czech Republic and CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.)
The 5-4 win over Seattle on Nov. 6 shares the fourth-highest goal total Arizona has posted in a game this season. Lawson Crouse (twice), Travis Boyd, Phil Kessel and Antoine Roussel all scored for Arizona while Shayne Gostisbehere (0-3-3) and Johan Larsson (0-2-2) each chipped in multi-assist games.
Crouse also scored last night at Vancouver for Arizona’s lone goal. The winger has lit the lamp in two of his last three games. He is both two goals shy of 50 for his career and two points shy of 100.
Also two points shy of a career milestone, Nick Schmaltz (60-138-198) is expected to face the Kraken for the first time in his career. He’s tallied three assists in five games against Pacific Division teams this season.
A LOOK AT THE KRAKEN
Seattle (15-27-4, 34 pts) will play in its first game since the All-Star break and first home game since Jan. 25. The team recorded its first ever shutout last time out against the Islanders (Feb. 2). Jared McCann (19-11-30) paces the club in goals and points, and enters play with seven points (4-3-7) in his last six games. The Kraken are 8-3-1 when leading after two periods but 1-20-1 when trailing after two.
MILESTONES TO WATCH
Lawson Crouse: Two goals from 50 career NHL goals.
Lawson Crouse: Two points from 100 career NHL points.
Phil Kessel: One multi-assist game from 100 career NHL multi-assist games.
Andrew Ladd: One even-strength goal from 200 career NHL even-strength goals.
Nick Schmaltz: Two points from 200 career NHL points.
KEY CONNECTIONS
Ex-Coyotes
• None
Ex-Kraken
• None
Lawson Crouse played for Paul McFarland on the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs from 2014-16.
Shayne Gostisbehere played for Dave Hakstol while with the Philadelphia Flyers from 2015-19.
Phil Kessel played with Riley Sheahan (2017-19) and Jared McCann (2018-19) in Pittsburgh.
Andrew Ladd was teammates with Jordan Eberle on the Islanders from 2017-20.
Riley Nash skated with Austin Czarnik in Boston for parts of the 2016-18 seasons.
Liam O’Brien played with Joonas Donskoi for part of the 2020-21 season in Colorado…Was teammates with Jeremy Lauzon on the QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in 2013-14.
Nick Schmaltz played for Dave Hakstol at Univ. of North Dakota in 2014-15… Won a bronze medal with Ryan Donato on Team USA at the 2016 World Junior Championship.
Anton Stralman played with Yanni Gourde in Tampa Bay from 2015-19…Was teammates with Chris Driedger (2019-21) and Alexander Wennberg (2020-21) in Florida.
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