GLENDALE Ariz. – Arizona Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson could play Saturday against the New Jersey Devils. But even if he doesn't, that news in itself is a huge sigh of relief for the Coyotes.
He didn't practice Friday and the team didn't have a morning skate Saturday. But Ekman-Larsson, who was hit into the boards from behind by Joakim Nordstrom of the Chicago Blackhawks during a 2-1 loss Thursday, appears to have escaped serious injury.
Nordstrom was suspended for two games Friday for the hit on Ekman-Larsson.
"He's day-to-day and we haven't ruled him out," Arizona coach Dave Tippett said. "It looked like it could have been a lot worse than it was."
If Ekman-Larsson can't go, Brandon Gormley will step in on defense for Arizona.
The Coyotes have only 19 goals in the past 14 games, losing 13 of them. But rookie Tobias Rieder, who scored for the third time in the past five games for Arizona on Thursday, has broken out of a scoring slump and continues to make progress offensively.
Rieder was skating with Kyle Chipchura and Shane Doan on Friday, with the Coyotes looking for any kind of offensive spark.
"The biggest difference for him right now is the puck going in the net," Tippett said. "He was getting a lot of scoring chances; they just weren't going in for him. Now he has confidence that it's going to go in. We're tweaking lines trying to find some offense."
The Devils also didn't skate Saturday. Patrick Elias left practice early Friday and is dealing with back spasms, so he could be a game-time decision.
New Jersey goalie Corey Schneider is 4-1-1 has three shutouts in six career games against the Coyotes, including the 3-0 win on Feb. 23, when he made 38 saves.
Here are the projected lineups:
DEVILS
Adam Henrique - Scott Gomez - Steve Bernier
Mike Cammalleri - Travis Zajac - Jordin Tootoo
Dainius Zubrus - Patrik Elias - Stephen Gionta
Tuomo Ruutu - Jacob Josefson - Peter Harrold
Scratched: Martin Havlat, Michael Ryder
Injured: Ryane Clowe (head), Bryce Salvador (lower body)
COYOTES
Tobias Rieder – Kyle Chipchura – Shane Doan
Martin Erat –Sam Gagner – Craig Cunningham
Tye McGinn – Mark Arcobello – David Moss
Lauri Korpikoski – Joe Vitale – B.J. Crombeen
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Michael Stone
Klas Dahlbeck – Andrew Campbell
Scratched: Brandon Gormley
Injured: Mikkel Boedker (upper body), Martin Hanzal (upper body)
Status report: The Coyotes sent forward Brendan Shinnimin back to the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League and have only 12 forwards on their roster. … With Rieder playing on the Chipchura line, Martin Erat will play with Sam Gagner.
Who's hot: Rieder has three goals in the past five games…. Mike Cammaleri had two goals against Arizona in the first meeting this season and has 17 goals and 38 points in 46 career games against the Coyotes.
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