{coyotes} Five reasons surprising Coyotes will make playoffs

 

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Most preseason forecasts about the Arizona Coyotes coming into the 2015-16 season had them near the bottom of the league standings. USA TODAY Sports had the Coyotes projected to finish last in the Pacific Division.

The Coyotes, currently second in the Pacific Division, have been among the NHL's biggest surprises this season. Here are five reasons why the Coyotes should make the playoffs this season:

1. Younger players soaring: Max Domi, Tobias Reader and Anthony Duclair have a combined 35 goals. Reader is 23, and Duclair and Domi are both 20. Rookies Domi and Duclair have combined for 55 points, Only two NHL teams (Chicago and Buffalo) have more rookie points than Domi and Duclair have produced playing together. Louis Domingue, 23, is 7-2-3 with a .928 save percentage since replacing injured Mike Smith as the team's No. 1 goalie.

2. The Old Man and the C: At 39, captain Shane Doan's best days should be behind him. But he's leading this team in scoring with 16 goals, and he's on a pace to finish with his best goal production since 2008-09. He is playing younger than his years.

3. Little things matter: The Coyotes are the NHL's second-best face-off team (53.4%), and they lead the NHL in power-play opportunities (162). Their energy forces opponents to take penalties to slow them down. They are a frisky bunch.

4. Coyotes own the Pacific: They are 9-1-2 against division opponents, and they have outscored them 39-25. No NHL teams has fewer losses against division foes than Arizona.

5. Difference-maker on D: Oliver Ekman-Larsson ranks fourth among all NHL defensemen in scoring (33 points) and third in goals (130). Ekman-Larsson has scored 36 goals over his past 126 games. His puck-moving ability is a primary reason why the Coyotes rank eighth in the NHL in goals per game.

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