The Phoenix Coyotes brought something home from Detroit
The Phoenix Coyotes brought something home from Detroit, although it wasn't the win they wanted.
The Coyotes, their backs against the wall in their playoff series and fight to stay in Phoenix beyond this season, will have to settle for something a lot less valuable but something they desperately needed nevertheless - hope.
They earned that by coming back from a 4-0 deficit early in the second period Saturday before the Detroit Red Wings could finally tame them 4-3.
The Wings lead the best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final series 2-0.
"They did what they had to do here and won both games," said Coyotes' captain Shane Doan, who had a pair of third-period goals. "Now it's our turn to do what we have to do at home. If we play the way we played in the third period, we should be fine."
The Coyotes head home for Games 3 and 4 Monday and Wednesday with more than their playoff lives on the line.
A proposed deal which would keep the team in the Phoenix area is on life support and the team could be sold to Winnipeg interests when its playoff run is over. That could be as soon as Wednesday if they can't come up with a way to beat the Wings.
Though the NHL, which owns the team, has fought hard to broker a deal with Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer, the league may have no choice but to sell to True North Sports and Entertainment and allow them to move the franchise back to its original home.
While the parties involved in the sale to Hulsizer may be close to throwing in the towel, the Coyotes didn't look anything like a team ready to quit.
The Coyotes played desperate to get back in the game, with Doan leading the way.
"He's not going to let us quit. He's going to put us on his back to make sure we don't quit," said Coyotes' defenceman Keith Yandle.
Radim Vrbata had the other Coyotes' goal.
Over the first 22 minutes, the Coyotes were victimized by bad penalties and the magic of Pavel Datysuk. It looked as if the Coyotes had already left for Winnipeg.
But after falling behind 4-0, the Coyotes found their legs, stayed out of the box and managed to get their power play, which was embarrassingly bad in Game 1, to look professional, connecting for three power play goals.
The Phoenix Coyotes brought something home from Detroit, although it wasn't the win they wanted.
The Coyotes, their backs against the wall in their playoff series and fight to stay in Phoenix beyond this season, will have to settle for something a lot less valuable but something they desperately needed nevertheless - hope.
They earned that by coming back from a 4-0 deficit early in the second period Saturday before the Detroit Red Wings could finally tame them 4-3.
The Wings lead the best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final series 2-0.
"They did what they had to do here and won both games," said Coyotes' captain Shane Doan, who had a pair of third-period goals. "Now it's our turn to do what we have to do at home. If we play the way we played in the third period, we should be fine."
The Coyotes head home for Games 3 and 4 Monday and Wednesday with more than their playoff lives on the line.
A proposed deal which would keep the team in the Phoenix area is on life support and the team could be sold to Winnipeg interests when its playoff run is over. That could be as soon as Wednesday if they can't come up with a way to beat the Wings.
Though the NHL, which owns the team, has fought hard to broker a deal with Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer, the league may have no choice but to sell to True North Sports and Entertainment and allow them to move the franchise back to its original home.
While the parties involved in the sale to Hulsizer may be close to throwing in the towel, the Coyotes didn't look anything like a team ready to quit.
The Coyotes played desperate to get back in the game, with Doan leading the way.
"He's not going to let us quit. He's going to put us on his back to make sure we don't quit," said Coyotes' defenceman Keith Yandle.
Radim Vrbata had the other Coyotes' goal.
Over the first 22 minutes, the Coyotes were victimized by bad penalties and the magic of Pavel Datysuk. It looked as if the Coyotes had already left for Winnipeg.
But after falling behind 4-0, the Coyotes found their legs, stayed out of the box and managed to get their power play, which was embarrassingly bad in Game 1, to look professional, connecting for three power play goals.