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Blue Jackets-Coyotes Preview

Oct 10, 2009 - 12:27 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Columbus (2-1-0) at Phoenix (2-1-0), 9:00 p.m. EDT

After a tumultuous offseason, the Phoenix Coyotes are finally ready to hit the ice in Arizona - for now.

With the club's future in the desert still uncertain, the Coyotes will have a sellout crowd on hand Saturday night for their home opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Owner Jerry Moyes took the team into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the offseason with the hopes of selling it to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie, who wanted to relocate the club to Hamilton, Ontario.

The NHL strongly opposed this proposed sale, as did the city of Glendale, Ariz., and the league made a $140 million offer to buy the team as part of its attempt to resell it.

On Sept. 30, though, U.S. bankruptcy judge Redfield T. Baum denied both bids, but agreed that the NHL has a right to choose its teams' owners and where its franchises play.

The league is still considering its options following this ruling, which could include a new offer to purchase the team.

In any case, the home opener is sold out, largely because all upper bowl ticket prices were lowered to $15. Phoenix (2-1-0) is looking forward to it after a season-opening three-game trip.

"We've been told this first game's already sold out," captain Shane Doan said. "We're excited about that. It's obviously a difficult situation, and nobody wants to be in it."

The Coyotes have started strong, beating Los Angeles and Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh before a 2-1 loss at Buffalo on Thursday. Jason LaBarbera made his first start of the year and was outstanding in defeat with 37 saves.

Ilya Bryzgalov will be back in net after going 2-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average in the first two games. He's 5-3 with a 2.48 GAA against Columbus (2-1-0) in his career, including 3-0-0 with a 1.00 GAA last season.

"Both of them have played very well and we're going to need that," coach Dave Tippett told the Coyotes' official Web site. "In the Western Conference you have heavy travel and you need everybody to be at the top of their game."

Although the improving Blue Jackets reached the playoffs for the first time last season, they were swept in all four meetings against the Coyotes in 2008-09. Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason went 0-3-0 with a 3.07 GAA in three starts for the Blue Jackets.

Mason, though, struggled Thursday as Columbus fell 6-3 at San Jose for its first loss. He gave up five goals on 20 shots before being pulled in the third period for Mathieu Garon.

"Their team played hungrier and desperate hockey," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We matched it for 35 minutes but we couldn't match it for 60. We couldn't carry it through."

Garon may get his first start for Columbus. He's 5-3-1 with a 2.31 GAA in his career against Phoenix.

The Blue Jackets will have to try to contain Doan, who had two goals and three assists last season versus Columbus. Doan has yet to score a goal this season, and is tied with Adrian Aucoin for the team lead in assists with two.

Columbus star winger Rick Nash had one goal and no assists last season against the Coyotes.