{coyotes} Oskar Lindblom, Steven Stamkos headline Masterton nominees

 

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With the 2020-21 NHL winding down it is almost time to hand out awards.

The Professional Hockey Writers' Association unveiled their nominees for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy on Monday, awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.

Among those nominated were Oskar Lindblom of the Philadelphia Flyers, Matt Dumba of the Minnesota Wild and Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lighting.

Representing the NHL's Canadian teams, Milan Lucic was voted the Calgary Flames nominee, Mike Smith was nominated for the Edmonton Oilers, Corey Perry  for the Montreal Canadiens, Jack Campbell for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tyler Motte for the Vancouver Canucks and Eric Comrie for the Winnipeg Jets.

Here is the full list of nominees for 2020-21:

Anaheim Ducks: David Backes

Arizona Coyotes: Phil Kessel

Boston Bruins: Kevan Miller

Buffalo Sabres: Dustin Tokarski

Calgary Flames: Milan Lucic

Carolina Hurricanes: Jordan Staal

Colorado Avalanche: Valeri Nichushkin

Columbus Blue Jackets: Zac Dalpe

Chicago Blackhawks: Andrew Shaw

Dallas Stars: Roope Hintz

Detroit Red Wings: Danny DeKeyser

Edmonton Oilers: Mike Smith

Florida Panthers: Chris Driedger

Los Angeles Kings: Matt Roy

Minnesota Wild: Matt Dumba

Montreal Canadiens: Corey Perry

Nashville Predators: Pekka Rinne

New Jersey Devils: Scott Wedgewood

New York Islanders: Casey Cizikas

New York Rangers: Colin Blackwell

Ottawa Senators: Nick Paul

Philadelphia Flyers: Oskar Lindblom

Pittsburgh Penguins: Casey DeSmith

St. Louis Blues: Vladimir Tarasenko

San Jose Sharks: Patrick Marleau

Tampa Bay Lightning: Steven Stamkos

Toronto Maple Leafs: Jack Campbell

Vancouver Canucks: Tyler Motte

Vegas Golden Knights: Marc-Andre Fleury

Washington Capitals: Zdeno Chara

Winnipeg Jets: Eric Comrie

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{coyotes} Tocchet out as Coyotes coach after four seasons

 

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Rick Tocchet agreed to leave the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday after four seasons as coach. No replacement was named.

Arizona finished 24-26-6 this season and failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the eight-team Honda West Division.

"It's been an honor to coach the Coyotes the past four seasons," Tocchet said. "I have great respect and admiration for all the players I coached in Arizona, along with my coaching staff, the medical staff, the equipment managers, the PR staff and the team services staff. They are the best in the NHL, and I appreciate all their help and hard work. I also want to thank the fans of the Valley for all their support. I have loved living, playing, and coaching in Arizona and this place will always be special to me."

Tocchet's contract expires June 30. He was 125-131-34 for Arizona after he was named coach July 11, 2017, replacing Dave Tippett.

The Coyotes made the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season after finishing 11th in the Western Conference with a .529 points percentage (33-29-8). They defeated the Nashville Predators in four games in the best-of-5 Stanley Cup Qualifiers, then lost to the Colorado Avalanche in five games in the best-of-7 Western Conference First Round. It was the first time the Coyotes had made the playoffs and won a postseason series since the 2011-12 season.

"After meeting with Rick, we have agreed that a coaching change is in the best interest of the club," Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong said. "This was a very difficult decision, but we believe that it is time for a new direction and new leadership. Rick is a very good coach and an incredible person, and we sincerely appreciate all his hard work and dedication to the Coyotes the past four years. We are grateful for everything that he has done for our organization and wish him the best of luck in the future."

Prior to being hired by Arizona, Tocchet was an assistant with the Pittsburgh Penguins for three seasons. His tenure with the Coyotes was his second coaching job after coaching the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2008-10.

Tocchet played for six teams in 18 NHL seasons, the last in 2001-02. The forward scored 952 points (440 goals, 512 assists) in 1,144 games and won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 1992.

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{coyotes} Kessel's OT goal leads Coyotes past Sharks 5-4

 

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SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Phil Kessel scored his 10th goal of the season against San Jose 2:30 into overtime and the Arizona Coyotes ended their regular season with a 5-4 win over the Sharks on Saturday night.

Conor Garland had given Arizona the lead with 3:53 left before Alexander Barabanov answered for the Sharks with 48.1 seconds remaining in regulation.

That set the stage for Kessel to end his season with another goal against the Sharks for his 20th overall this season.

Christian Dvorak scored twice and Jan Jenik also scored for the Coyotes, who won just five of their final 17 regular season games to miss the postseason. Adin Hill made 44 saves.

Rudolfs Balcers, Kevin Labanc and Timo Meier also scored for the Sharks, who have lost 13 of 16 games heading into their regular season finale.

Alexei Melnichuk made 27 saves in his first career NHL start and took the loss.

Dvorak scored twice in the first period, converting during 4-on-4 play and on the power play but the Sharks answered both times with goals from Balcers and Labanc.

Meier gave the Sharks a 3-2 lead in the second with a strong power move to the net, but Jenik tied it with a bad angle shot later in the period.

Jenik has scored twice in two games since being called up to the NHL, joining Christian Fischer as the only players in franchise history to score in each of their first two career games.

KESSEL'S MILESTONE

Kessel became the fifth player to reach 900 consecutive games one night after reaching the 900-point mark with his ninth goal of the season against San Jose.

San Jose's Patrick Marleau played in his 909th consecutive game, making this the first time two players with a streak of at least 900 games played each other.

Doug Jarvis holds the NHL record at 964 consecutive games played. Keith Yandle is the active leader at 921 games.

Kessel joins Leon Draisaitl (this season against Ottawa) and Jonathan Cheechoo (2005-06 against Anaheim) as the only players with at least 10 goals vs. one team in a season since the start of the 1993-94 season. He finished the season with 10 goals and three assists against the Sharks.

SEASON DEBUT

Defenseman Aaron Ness played his first game at any level this season for Arizona. The 30-year-old spent the season on the taxi squad, waiting for an opportunity to play. It came in the final game and coach Rich Tocchet made him an alternate captain.

UP NEXT

Coyotes: Head into the offseason after missing the playoffs for the eighth time in nine seasons.

Sharks: Host Vegas in season finale on Wednesday night.

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{coyotes} Kessel, Soderstrom lead Coyotes past Sharks 5-2

 

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SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Phil Kessel scored the go-ahead goal for his 900th career point and Victor Soderstrom and Jan Jenik each scored their first NHL goals as the Arizona Coyotes beat the San Jose Sharks 5-2 on Friday night.

Conor Garland added a goal and two assists for Arizona, which also benefited from an overturned San Jose goal that would have tied it in the third.

Kessel scored a breakaway goal to snap a 2-2 at 4:53 of the third, just minutes after being denied by Sharks goalie Josef Korenar on a similar play. It was Kessel's ninth goal against the Sharks this season. He's the first opponent to ever score that many against San Jose.

''It might be my first breakaway goal of the year,'' Kessel said. ''I'm happy to score on a breakaway for once. I don't know, I stink at them. Gotta figure it out during the summer I guess.''

Erik Karlsson appeared to net a tying goal with 12:14 left, but Arizona issued a coach's challenge and the goal was denied when San Jose was found to be offside.

Michael Bunting made it 4-2 with a goal that was set up nicely by Garland and Jenik added an empty-netter just before the final horn to make his NHL debut a memorable one.

Darcy Kuemper had 26 saves for Arizona.

San Jose defenseman Mario Ferraro thought his team gave the Coyotes too many chances in open ice.

''I thought they got behind us a little bit,'' Ferraro said. ''One of those goals there, I was up on a play, and Kessel saw the breakaway. He had a couple breakaway chances. We should have been more aware of that.''

Karlsson's first-period goal gave the Sharks the lead. They made it 2-0 on Timo Meier's 11th goal of the season early in the second.

But Arizona answered right back with the first career NHL goal for Soderstrom, who patiently worked the puck down the right side and rattled a shot into the upper left corner of the net to make it 2-1.

The Sharks were close to killing off a 5-on-3 power play, but Garland scored on a one-timer for his first goal since March 31 to make it 2-2.

SCARY MOMENT

SAP Center went quiet in the first period after Sharks rookie forward John Leonard crashed head-first into the boards near Arizona's bench and lay motionless on the ice for a couple minutes.

Eventually Leonard got to his feet with assistance from the training staff and was helped off the ice.

''I haven't seen him,'' Ferraro said. ''We're just praying he's all right.''

WELCOME RETURN

Garland missed two weeks with a lower-body injury, but in three games back with the Coyotes he has six points (one goal, five assists).

''It's nice to see him get that goal and play that style,'' Arizona coach Rick Tocchet said. ''Him coming back (from injury), I wish we had him a week before when we were struggling to score some goals.''

COUTURE SIDELINED

Sharks captain Logan Couture was scratched Friday with a lower-body injury that could sideline him for the team's final two games.

San Jose coach Bob Boughner said during his morning media session that Couture has been bothered by the injury for a while. With the Sharks out of playoff contention, the team will play it safe. San Jose hosts Arizona again Saturday and finishes the season at home Wednesday against Vegas.

UP NEXT

The teams face each other in a Saturday rematch in San Jose.

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{coyotes} Coyotes miss playoffs, inability to generate offense among reasons

 

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The Arizona Coyotes failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs after reaching the Western Conference First Round last season.

Arizona (22-26-6) was eliminated from contention when it lost 4-2 to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. The Coyotes can finish no higher than fifth in the eight-team Honda West Division. The top four teams qualify for the playoffs.

The Coyotes failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the eighth time in the past nine seasons.

Here is a look at what happened during the 2020-21 season for the Coyotes and why things could be better next season:

The Skinny

Potential unrestricted free agents: Derick Brassard, F; Michael Bunting, F; D; Jason Demers, D; Alex Goligoski, D; Niklas Hjalmarsson, D; Jordan Oesterle, D; Antti Raanta, G

Potential restricted free agents: Conor Garland, F; John Hayden, F; Adin Hill, G; Dryden Hunt, F; Lane Pederson, F

Potential 2021 Draft picks: 6

What went wrong

Late-season slide: The Coyotes were 19-15-5 and in fourth place in the Honda West Division on April 6, five points ahead of the San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues, who were tied for fifth. But Arizona lost nine of its next 11 games (2-9-0) and dropped to fifth place, five points behind the fourth-place Blues, on April 29. Arizona is 3-11-1 since a 4-3 loss at the Los Angeles Kings on April 7. During that span the Coyotes are 25th in the NHL with an average of 2.40 goals per game, and 24th with an average of 3.47 goals allowed.

Inability to generate offense: The Coyotes are 25th in the NHL in scoring at 2.59 goals per game, and 29th with an average of 27.3 shots on goal per game. Their issues have started early in games, where the Coyotes are tied for 24th with 37 first-period goals and have a minus-22 goal differential. And that lack of offense has hurt them when their defense hasn't kept them in games; the Coyotes have won one game when allowing more than three goals (5-4 shootout victory against the Colorado Avalanche on March 23). The Coyotes also are 25th in the NHL in goals (114) and points (274) from forwards.

Road woes: The Coyotes are 10-14-2 away from Gila River Arena. Their 10 road wins are tied with the Sharks (10-15-3) for fewest among West Division teams. The Coyotes have allowed 3.35 goals per game on the road, ninth-most in the NHL. At home, the Coyotes are 12-12-4.

Reasons for optimism

Kessel consistency: Phil Kessel refuses to let Father Time slow him down. The 33-year-old forward has scored 18 goals, tied with defenseman Jakob Chychrun for the Coyotes lead, and his 38 points in 54 games match his 70-game total from last season. Kessel leads the Coyotes with 10 multipoint games and his 16.5 percent shooting percentage is the highest of his 15-season NHL career.

Emergence of Chychrun: Jakob Chychrun, the No. 16 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, evolved into a true top-pair defenseman this season. The 23-year-old showed he could take over games with his skill set, skating, big shot and ability to defend and move the puck, all while averaging 23:18 in ice time this season, the most of his five-season NHL career. Chychrun leads NHL defensemen with 18 goals, is tied for ninth with 39 points, and is sixth with 26 even-strength points (13 goals, 13 assists). He's also tied for first with three game-winning goals.

Goaltending: Goalies Darcy Kuemper and Adin Hill have provided the Coyotes with solid play in most games. Kuemper has a 2.58 goals-against average, a .906 save percentage and two shutouts in 26 games, and a .911 save percentage at even strength. Hill did an admirable job stepping in when Antti Raanta was injured, going 8-9-1 with a 2.67 GAA, a .913 save percentage and two shutouts in 18 games (16 starts). He has a .916 save percentage at even strength. Their strong play especially was noticeable on the penalty kill, where Arizona was 13th in the NHL with an 80.3 percent success rate despite being shorthanded 162 times, tied for the ninth-most in the League.

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{coyotes} Kopitar hits 1,000 points, Kings knock off Coyotes 4-2

 

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GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) Anze Kopitar had an assist to reach 1,000 career points, Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and the Los Angeles Kings eliminated the Arizona Coyotes from playoff contention with a 4-2 win Wednesday night.

The Coyotes got some good news in their longshot bid to make the playoffs when St. Louis lost to Anaheim.

The Kings ended Arizona's hopes and bolstered their own longshot chances in the Coyotes' home season finale.

Kopitar, who had a goal and an assist Monday, became the fourth Los Angeles player to reach 1,000 career points on Sean Walker's empty-net goal. Cal Petersen had 28 saves and Jaret Anderson-Dolan also scored for Los Angeles, which trails the Blues by eight points but has five games left.

Arizona's Jakob Chychrun had his 18th goal, which leads all NHL defensemen, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson also scored. Adin Hill stopped 18 shots.

Once in the West Division's fourth spot, the Coyotes dropped out of the race by losing 12 of 15.

The Kings won the first in the two-game series 3-2 behind 15 saves by Petersen after Jonathan Quick went out with a lower-body injury in the second period.

The Coyotes got off to a slow start in that game, but didn't have that problem Wednesday night. Ekman-Larsson scored 1:19 in on a wrist shot Petersen couldn't see through a screen.

It didn't last.

Vilardi scored three minutes later from the right circle on a shot that hit Hill's glove and trickled in. Anderson-Dolan made it 2-1 later in the period on a shot from the slot Hill couldn't see through three teammates in front.

The Coyotes had a quick answer, scoring nine seconds into the power play when Chychrun punched in a rebound that got behind Petersen.

Both teams tightened up in their own end after the four-goal first period and both opened the third by hitting a post - the Kings' Mikey Anderson, then Arizona's Conor Garland.

Vilardi broke the tie 4 1/2 minutes in, one-timing a pass from Lias Andersson on a shot just outside the crease. Petersen made some tough saves down the stretch and Kopitar hit the 1,000-point mark on Walker's goal.

UP NEXT

The Kings host the first of two games against Colorado on Friday.

The Coyotes play the first of two games at San Jose Friday.

 

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{coyotes} Kopitar reaches 999 career points, Kings beat Coyotes 3-2

 

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GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) Anze Kopitar had a goal and an assist to reach 999 career points and the Los Angeles Kings put a big dent in the Arizona Coyotes' playoff hopes with a 3-2 win Monday night.

Kopitar scored in the second period and had an assist on Alex Iafallo's goal, putting him within one point of becoming the fourth Kings player to reach 1,000 for his career.

Trevor Moore also scored and Jonathan Quick had 17 saves before leaving after the second period with an upper-body injury. Cal Petersen stopped 15 shots and helped the Kings withstand a wild late flurry by the Coyotes in relief.

Jakob Chychrun scored his 17th goal, which leads all NHL defensemen, and Christian Dvorak scored for the Coyotes. Darcy Kuemper had 22 saves.

Arizona is five points behind St. Louis for the West Division's final playoff spot with three games left after the Blues beat Anaheim earlier Monday. The Coyotes have lost 11 of 14.

The Coyotes got off to a slow in a 3-2 loss to Vegas on Saturday and did it again in another must-win game.

Arizona had one shot on goal in the first 15 minutes - the Kings had nine - and Kuemper had to make some difficult saves, including a diving stop on Sean Walker in the early going.

The Coyotes finally generated some offensive pressure late and Dvorak scored, gathering a pass from Lawson Crouse and knocking it past Quick with a backhander.

The lead didn't last long.

Moore scored 35 seconds later, beating Kuemper to the short after an Arizona faceoff win to the goalie's right.

The Coyotes closed the period on the power play after the Kings' Tobias Bjornfot ran Clayton Keller into Quick. Chychrun capitalized 53 seconds into the second, beating Quick from the left circle on a shot off the post.

Kopitar tied it midway through the period, one-timing a pass from Adrian Kempe past Kuemper's stick side on a 2-on-1. Iafallo put the Kings up on a late power play, jamming in a rebound after Kuemper stopped Drew Doughty's initial shot.

Petersen made several difficult saves in the final two minutes after Arizona pulled Kuemper for an extra attacker. The Coyotes also had a couple of good in-close chances just miss due to bouncing pucks.

UP NEXT

The Kings lead the Coyotes 4-3 heading into the season series finale on Wednesday.

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