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Surging Coyotes to face NHL's best

Jan 30, 2008 - 3:18 PM Phoenix (27-21-2) at Detroit (37-10-4) 7:30 pm EST

DETROIT (Ticker) - The Phoenix Coyotes are making noise in the Western Conference. Now it's time to test themselves against the game's elite team.

The Coyotes will go for a third straight win when they visit the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.

Phoenix beat the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-2, on Tuesday night to move into eighth place in the West. The Coyotes have won 10 of their past 14 games to put pressure on Anaheim, Dallas and San Jose at the top of the Pacific Division.

After finishing with the worst record in the West last season at with just 67 points, Phoenix added goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov on November 17 and has taken off since. The Russian netminder is 17-10 with a 2.35 goals against average since taking over for the Coyotes, who rewarded him a three-year contract extension last week.

But for Phoenix to make the leap to playoff contender, they will have to hang in against the NHL's top team, the Red Wings.

Detroit will be playing its first game since the All-Star break, is currently on a four-game winning streak during which it has outscored opponents 14-6.

The Red Wings boast both the best offense and defense in Western Conference, with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg pacing the offense and Chris Osgood turning in a career year in goal - leading the NHL with a 1.87 goals against average.

Detroit has won the first three meetings between the teams this season, outscoring the Coyotes 12-6.