February 20, 2022 | 5:00 PM AZ Time | Gila River Arena
TV: Bally Sports Arizona+ | Radio: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM
The Coyotes are back to work after falling to the Kings last night with a home game against the Dallas Stars on Sunday night (Feb. 20) to complete their back-to-back set of games. Sunday’s contest is the final rescheduled game among the Coyotes’ postponements around the holiday break due to the NHL’s COVID-19 precautions. Puck drop with the Stars is set for 5 p.m.
PACK FACTS
Sunday caps the third back-to-back set of home games for Arizona this season and the 12th overall in any location. The Yotes won 5-2 the last time they played in the second half of a back-to-back (at Seattle on Feb. 9).
The game is the third of four meetings the Coyotes have with the Stars this season and the second of two in Arizona. Dallas captured the first two contests, 3-2 on Nov. 27 in Glendale and 4-1 on Dec. 6 at American Airlines Center. The final game between the clubs is scheduled for April 27 in Dallas.
Alex Galchenyuk enters Sunday with 10 points (6-4-10) in 13 career games against the Stars but is seeking his first point against them this season. In his last six games overall this year, the Milwaukee, Wisconsin native has totaled six points (4-2-6), including four points in his last three outings.
Galchenyuk, Janis Moser, Phil Kessel, Travis Boyd and Clayton Keller all established three-game point steaks last night against the Kings. Moser and Kessel’s runs also qualify as assist streaks, making Moser the seventh rookie defenseman (eighth instance) to put together a stretch of that kind this season. Only Moritz Seider (five games) and Alexandre Carrier (four games) have gone longer.
The Coyotes franchise is 72-88-13-10 all-time against the Stars/North Stars.
COYOTES WELCOME RITCHIE
The Arizona Coyotes last night acquired forward Nick Ritchie from the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Yotes also received a conditional second round draft pick, while going the other way was defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin and forward Ryan Dzingel. Ritchie has registered 2-7-9 with 23 penalty minutes (PIM) in 33 games with the Leafs this season. In his career, he’s totaled 61-85-146 and 410 PIM in 383 career NHL games with the Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and Anaheim Ducks.
A LOOK AT THE STARS
Dallas (27-19-2, 56 pts) is coming off a 1-0 shootout win at Chicago on Feb. 18 but woke up today three points outside of the final playoff spot. Jake Oettinger registered the shutout, his first of the season, and is expected to get the net again on Sunday. The team’s scoring production is led by Joe Pavelski (21-31-52), who has had a streaky last three months, recording 27 points (10-17-27) in 14 games from Dec. 17 – Jan. 25, but four points in his last eight games since.
MILESTONES TO WATCH
Lawson Crouse: One goal from 50 career NHL goals.
Lawson Crouse: One point from 100 career NHL points.
Clayton Keller: Two assists from 150 career NHL assists.
Phil Kessel: One multi-assist game from 100 career NHL multi-assist games.
Phil Kessel: One game from 950 consecutive NHL games played.
Andrew Ladd: One even-strength goal from 200 career NHL even-strength goals.
Matt McConnell: One game from 1,700 games as an NHL broadcaster
KEY CONNECTIONS
Ex-Coyotes/Jets
• Jim Nill (1984-88)
• Rick Bowness (Player, 1980-82; Assistant Coach, 1984-87, 1999-06; Interim Head Coach, 1988-89, 2003-04)
Ex-Stars
• Loui Eriksson (2006-13)
• Antoine Roussel (2012-18)
Travis Boyd (2017-20) and Liam O’Brien (2014-15, 2016-18) were teammates with Braden Holtby in Washington.
Kyle Capobianco played with Radek Faksa on the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves in 2013-14.
Lawson Crouse was teammates with Jason Robertson on the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs in 2015-16.
Alex Galchenyuk was teammates with Alexander Radulov in Montreal in 2016-17.
Shayne Gostisbehere skated with Michael Raffl in Philadelphia from 2014-21.
Clayton Keller played with Jake Oettinger at Boston University during the 2016-17 season.
Dysin Mayo played for Derek Laxdal on the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings from 2012-14 and won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions in 2014.
Cory Stillman had Jeff Reese as an assistant coach during the 2003-04 Stanley Cup-winning season in Tampa Bay.
Scott Wedgewood was teammates with Tyler Seguin on the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers from 2008-10.
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