A Little Late: Coyotes Beat Coyotes In Game 6

In a series that never wanted to end (how many overtimes does one series need?), there was no shortage of drama and excitement in the Phoenix Coyotes vs Chicago Blackhawks match up.  In six games, the Coyotes managed to walk away with the series.

Clenching their first Division title and advancing past the first round for the first time in franchise history, the six game match up was a historical one for the Coyotes.  While all of this lovely was happening, the series does have a blemish on it.

In Game 3 of the series, Raffi Torres blindsided Marian Hossa with a hit that landed Hossa in an ambulance on the way to the hospital on a stretch and Torres in a 25 game suspension.  Leading up to this moment, the series was chippy, there’s no denying it, after all this is playoff hockey.  However, there was a level of restraint to it, unlike the Philadelphia Flyers vs Pittsburgh Penguins series.

Because of this moment, many others were over shadowed over the course of the six games.  Mike Smith managed to hold off the Blackhawks to an average of 1.81 goals per game with an astounding .950 SV%.  Mikkel Boedker had two game winning goals in over time and Blackhawks’  captain Jonathan Toews’s over time winner that forced the series one more game.  The series should not be defined by the Torres hit, the series should be remembered for the hard hockey that was played.

Am I disappointed to see the Blackhawks lose?  Yes, but not because I’m a Blackhawks fan.  I happen to dislike all things Coyotes.  Go ahead yell at me, I know you want to do so.

Puck drops tonight on round two for the Coyotes as they face the Nashville Predators.