If there ever was an opportune time to challenge the league’s best power play, maybe this was it.
The Coyotes’ penalty killers, who were ranked 22nd before the puck dropped, had been in the midst of their most productive run of the season – going 18-for-19 in their last six games with six of those kills coming in their most recent test Thursday.
And the Coyotes were able to stay in that groove with the unit surviving all five of the Blue Jackets’ chances – a boost that looked like it might be enough to buoy the team but ultimately was wasted as the Blue Jackets rallied for a 3-2 shootout win Saturday at Gila River Arena in the first game of another back-to-back against the same opponent.