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Coyotes-Red Wings Preview

Oct 28, 2010 - 6:59 AM By NOEY KUPCHAN STATS Writer

Phoenix (2-3-3) at Detroit (5-1-1), 7:30 p.m. EDT

The Coyotes lost to the Red Wings in heartbreaking fashion when they met earlier this month in a rematch of last spring's opening-round playoff series.

Phoenix now hopes to return the favor in Detroit, and get back in the win column.

Looking to avoid a fourth straight loss, the Coyotes wrap up a three-game road trip against the Red Wings on Thursday night.

After ultimately winning a seventh game against Phoenix in last season's Western Conference quarterfinals, the Red Wings were ousted in the second round by San Jose.

On Oct. 16, Detroit (5-1-1) posted a 2-1 road win over the Coyotes as Niklas Kronwall scored a power-play goal with 16 seconds left in overtime. The Red Wings had been 0 for 7 with the man advantage.

"We kept shooting the puck and finally it went in," Kronwall said.

Since the beginning of the 2006-07 season, Detroit has posted a 14-1-2 regular-season record versus Phoenix, including 7-0-1 at Joe Louis Arena.

The victory earlier this month in Arizona began the Red Wings' longest winning streak this season. Detroit won its third in a row after rallying from a 3-1 deficit to beat Anaheim 5-4 on Saturday.

Jimmy Howard made 21 saves, and is 4-0-1 with a 2.14 goals-against average in 2009-10.

"Jimmy's just given us good goaltending, he's battling," coach Mike Babcock said.

Howard may be expected to start against the Coyotes, but is 1-0-1 with a 3.39 GAA all-time at home against Phoenix. Chris Osgood has yet to get the nod at home in 2010-11, but has won his last three starts when facing the Coyotes, allowing a total of eight goals.

Henrik Zetterberg had two goals and two assists against the Ducks, and has scored eight of his team-high 10 points during the Red Wings' winning streak. Detroit is 15-0-2 with two ties versus Phoenix when Zetterberg has at least one point.

The Coyotes look to avoid losing four in a row for the first time since an 0-4-1 slide from March 6-14, 2009.

After falling in overtime to Montreal on Monday, Phoenix was beaten 5-2 by Ottawa on Tuesday. Jason LaBarbera allowed two goals in a nine-second span before the game was six minutes old, and the Coyotes trailed 3-0 after one period.

It marked the second time in three games that Phoenix was three goals down, something which didn't please coach Dave Tippett.

"We we're hanging around the game but we're finding ways to lose games. We're making mental and physical errors and they're not what we want to be as a team and its costing us games," he said. "Until we wake up and start recognizing that we'll probably fumble along like this - one good one, one bad one - we'll see how it goes."

Ilya Bryzgalov played the final two periods, stopping 14 of 16 shots. He will likely start and look to win in Detroit for the second time in his career.

Bryzgalov had been 0-6-2 against the Red Wings in the Motor City before captain Shane Doan capped a season-high four-point night with an overtime goal in the Coyotes' 5-4 victory on Jan. 26.

Doan, who returned against the Senators after serving a three-game suspension for a blindside hit on the Ducks' Dan Sexton on Oct. 17, was held scoreless for the fourth time in five games this season.

"As a group we haven't been near good enough and it starts with myself. If you're going to point a finger, you can point it at me directly," Doan said.