April showers bring May flowers. We are all familiar with the rhyme; sometimes to get to the good, you have to go through some bad. Unfortunately this phrase does not ring true in the NHL. The Phoenix Coyotes are desperate not to become the April fools.
The ‘Yotes are having a stormy April. They are currently 0-1-1 and we all know if a team’s April is not clear and sunny, there will be no budding May. The Coyotes have had a dark cloud of scoreless power plays, costly turnovers and a frustrating number of shots that have missed the back of the net by mere centimeters. This perfect storm has pushed the Coyotes out of a wild card spot. They are now left out in the rain, fighting to get back in.
But we are no strangers to this, right? This is “Hockey the Hard Way,” isn’t it? These were words to live by two seasons ago when they made an unexpected Western Conference run and lost in the Conference finals to the eventual Stanley Cup champions Los Angeles Kings. With that being said, things feel different this time around. This team doesn’t seem to be playing “Hungrier than Ever.” This feeling was solidified Wednesday night in L.A. when the Coyotes set a new season-low for shots on goal with just 17. The numbers in April are just supporting actors for the Coyotes’ rainy April. They’ve only scored one goal this month (granted, it’s only the first week) but they have allowed six.
But it’s never fun to stay doom and gloom. After all the Coyotes are not mathematically eliminated and are knocking on Dallas’ door for the final Western Conference Wild Card spot. Considering how recent games have been going for the Desert Dogs, they’ve managed to stay right in the race. These April clouds do have a silver lining. They are facing the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night, a team the Coyotes are currently 4-0 against. It also wouldn’t hurt to mention they are averaging 4.4 goals per game and are 30.8% on the power play against the Oilers this season. Two facets of the Coyotes’ game that has been struggling as of late.
So let’s put a spin on the old rhyme, shall we? If April showers bring May flowers, then let the month of April pour with offensive accomplishments, make each Coyotes’ opponent feel like they’ve been thunderstruc, and let them be a storm to be reckoned with. It’ll be the only way the playoffs will bloom for the Phoenix Coyotes and maybe, just maybe, a better May will be in sight.
