Wednesday's matchup between the Phoenix Coyotes and the Anaheim Ducks is the third meeting in five days between the two teams. Phoenix won the first two games against the Ducks, both in shootouts. Phoenix is looking to complete the sweep and cut the Ducks' lead in the Pacific Division to six points if they can get a regulation victory.
Phoenix has shown a knack for comebacks this season, but they must start gaining strong wins in order to help them win the division. Cutting 40 percent of Anaheim's division lead in five days is a good start to things. The Coyotes are currently finding plenty of ways to score goals. They rank eighth in the league in offense with 2.91 goals per game. They have yet to finish being ranked above 15th since the 2001-02 season. Goalie Mike Smith helped make 58 saves in the first two wins against Anaheim this season, but has allowed 18 goals in four career starts at the Honda Center. In the past two meetups between the teams, Phoenix had seven different goal scorers.
The Ducks are coming off two consecutive losses for the first time this season. They have given away the lead three times in the last two contests. Anaheim has been the highest scoring team in the Western Conference this season. Nine players have at least five goals; no one has more than eight. The Ducks are averaging 3.38 goals per contest. Anaheim is among the league's best in the power play at 29.7 percent and they went 2 for 5 against Phoenix this season. Center Ryan Getzlaf has four goals and 13 points in the past seven games.
The Coyotes will be without forward Radim Vrbata who is out with a lower body injury. The Ducks forward Kyle Palmieri is out with an upper body injury and is questionable for Wednesday's game. The two teams will not meet up again until April late April for the series finale.
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