Coyotes once again enjoying month of February
--Over the last few years, no NHL team is annually happier to see February arrive more than the Coyotes.
Two years ago, Phoenix wrapped up a run of eight wins in nine games before the Vancouver Olympic break to position itself for a franchise-record 50 wins. Last year, the Coyotes won eight straight from Feb. 5-22, collecting 16 points in 17 days and putting them back in the playoff hunt.
Now with wins over San Jose, Detroit, Dallas, Calgary and Chicago to open February 2012 -- outscoring their opponents 18-6 -- the Coyotes have stacked five wins and 10 points in eight days, pushing the Coyotes from 12th to eighth place in the standings and now just four points behind the Pacific Division leaders from San Jose, who have four games in hand, but are about to begin a brutal nine-game road trip.
"We knew we had to start winning or we would be out," said center Martin Hanzal, who had combined with wingers Ray Whitney and Radim Vrbata to collect 26 points in the last eight games. "Winning one and losing one wasn't going to do it. We put ourselves in a tough spot and no one was going to help us. We had to do it."
--After losing 4-2 to Anaheim in the first game back from the All-Star break, the Coyotes had three straight days to practice, regroup and refocus on what makes them successful as a team. High-tempo, a relentless forecheck, and tight defense from the goal line out had been missing. Mike Smith's gas tank was on empty.
Smith, who has played a career-high 43 games, benefitted from playing just two games in two weeks around the break and has allowed three goals in the last four games, stopping 117 of 120 shots.
A little luck doesn't hurt either -- the Coyotes played Detroit without injured goalie Jimmy Howard, Calgary without a resting Miikka Kiprusoff, and they were the recipients of some good bounces against the Sharks and caught the Blackhawks on back-to-back nights at the lowest ebb of the season.
--Suddenly the Coyotes are winning at home. Four straight wins in Glendale and five in the last six have improved their home record of 14-11-4. They now have 26 games left to play -- 13 at home and 13 on the road -- but their run of home games of late has been beneficial. They are 7-2-1 in their last 10 home games dating back to a Jan. 7 win over Colorado.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"You recognize how skilled they are and you have to make sure you don't give them any life because if they get life, they're a very dangerous team." -- Phoenix captain Shane Doan.
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