LDN - Sports

Goalie tears into Coyotes after loss at Edmonton

[January 17, 2017] EDMONTON, Alberta -- Goalie Mike Smith is the lone NHL All-Star from the Arizona Coyotes, a team that sits in last place in the Pacific Division with just 13 wins in 43 games this season.

He put on another All-Star performance Monday, making a series of spectacular saves to keep his team close to the Edmonton Oilers. In the end, though, it wasn't enough as the Oilers won 3-1.

Smith made it clear he is none too happy about the lack of support he is getting from his teammates.

"You could feel it on the ice," said Smith, who finished with 24 saves. "We were just playing, and it was blah. It was blah. And you can't expect to play like that and compete against a really good hockey team. That's what we did tonight. We have to learn from it. Sooner or later, this organization's got to move forward and not continue to have games like this."

Smith wasn't done.

"It can't happen," he continued. "It can't happen in this league. It's a privilege to play in this league and put the Coyotes sweater on. I don't know, I can't explain it. I can talk for myself, and know that every game I go into I want to give myself the best chance to play at my best. And I can't speak for anyone else, but we've got too many guys who aren't doing enough to push this thing along."

The Coyotes had bad line changes that led to goals. During a power play, they had six men on the ice for so long, the Rogers Place crowd had time to start a "too many men" chant before the penalty was called. And, down 3-1 in the third period, they only managed five shots on Oilers goalie Cam Talbot.

"That's as poor as we've played in the month," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. "We've been competitive, real competitive for a month. And (tonight) you could see it right from the get-go. I was worried this morning, actually, at the skate. You could tell there wasn't a lot of zip in our group."

For the Oilers, it marked the first time since Nov. 23, 2009, that they earned a regulation home win over the Coyotes. To put the drought into perspective: In November 2009, Owl City's "Fireflies" was the No. 1 single in America. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" was the No. 1 movie on the continent. The iPhone 3GS was the top-of-the-line offering from Apple.

Jujhar Khaira's first-ever NHL goal stood up as the game-winner, and Talbot made 21 saves for his 23rd victory of the season.

The Oilers opened the scoring just 3:34 into the first period, and it came from a combination between two players desperately looking to break their slumps.

Jordan Eberle, who was held without a point in his previous six games, dropped a pass to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who had just one goal in his last eight. Nugent-Hopkins' wrist shot beat Smith.

"When you're not emotionally engaged in the game, your execution is off, your checking is off, you just don't give yourself a chance," Tippett said. "That first goal, we have two veteran defensemen decide to change right at the same time just as we turn the puck over. Those are mental mistakes that you can't make, and we made enough of those tonight to give the game away."

Eberle's deft pass found Nugent-Hopkins alone in front of the Coyotes net at the four-minute mark of the second. But, this time, Smith wouldn't be beaten, getting his blocker to the shot.

The next time that line was on the ice, Eberle rang a backhanded effort off the post.

The Eberle-Smith duel continued near the halfway point of the period. Eberle came out of the penalty box and reeled in a breakaway pass, but Smith sprawled and snatched the puck out of the air deny the Oilers right winger. Highlights of the save were making the rounds on Twitter minutes after it happened.

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Oilers goalie Cam Talbot (33) eyes the puck as Arizona Coyotes forward center Christian Dvorak (18) attempts to shoot past him during the third period at Rogers Place. Oilers won the game 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-USA TODAY Sports

"I've been in that situation. ... I'm not really out of that situation right now, exactly," Nugent-Hopkins said of Eberle's slump. "When you get the chances, you can't get down on yourself. He had so many chances tonight and made some really nice plays. He got robbed a couple times and hit the post.

"He just has to stick with it and not get frustrated. When you stop getting those chances is when you want to change something, but he is getting the chances and just has to keep it going."

Smith then made a tremendous reflex save, sticking out his arm to stop a shot from Connor McDavid that took a wild deflection off of Coyotes defenseman Luke Schenn.

Smith's resistance was finally broken with 8:20 left in the second as Khaira tipped home a pass from Mark Letestu to give the Oilers a 2-0 lead. Khaira played 15 games with Edmonton last season, and this was just his second contest of the 2016-17 campaign after being called up from Bakersfield of the American Hockey League last week.

"Growing up as a kid, playing street hockey, you always picture it in your head as you're playing," said Khaira. "It's a reality now, and it feels good."

Leon Draisaitl made it 3-0 with a wrist shot over Smith's shoulder at 13:37 of the middle period.

On the power play at 17:56 of the second, Radim Vrbata gave the Coyotes some life, finishing the chance provided to him by Alexander Burmistrov. It was Burmistrov's first game with the Coyotes; he was claimed off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 2. Work visa issues had prevented him from getting into the Coyotes' lineup right away.

Oilers defenseman Andrej Sekera had to leave the game late in the third period after blocking a shot with his arm.

NOTES: After missing Saturday's game with a lower-body injury, Oilers D Adam Larsson was a game-time decision but declared fit to go. ... Oilers LW Jujhar Khaira returned after missing Saturday's game because of food poisoning. ... Coyotes LW Jordan Martinook returned after missing three games with an upper-body injury. ... This was the fourth meeting of the season between the Oilers and Coyotes. Arizona won two of the previous three games, with one victory in a shootout. Each of the three games was decided by one goal. ... The Oilers scratched C Matt Hendricks, D Eric Gryba and D Jordan Oesterle. The Coyotes scratched D Kevin Connauton, C Laurent Dauphin and RW Josh Jooris.

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