San Jose Sharks fans are still riding high from yesterday’s overtime win over the St. Louis Blues, but it’s time for the Sharks to get back to work. Today, the Sharks host the Arizona Coyotes. The Coyotes aren’t in a playoff position but are happy to play spoiler like the Sharks. On Friday, Arizona reeled off six goals in the third period to flip the script on the Vegas Golden Knights and win 7-4. The Coyotes are 6-4-0 in the team’s last ten games.
Clayton Keller is the top scorer for the Coyotes with 71 points in 72 games. He’s also the team’s top goal scorer with 32 goals.
This is the third and final meeting of the season between the Sharks and Coyotes. On Dec. 15, 2023, Connor Ingram shutout the Sharks 1-0. Then, on Dec. 21, 2023, the Coyotes beat the Sharks 5-2.
The real story for the Coyotes, however, isn’t what’s happening on the ice but what’s happening off of it. The team’s management is in desperation mode as it still hasn’t found a permanent home for its team. Yesterday, the team pumped the tires on the arena it would like to build in Phoenix. You can take a look at the complete plans here.
The Coyotes' new arena would have 17,000 fixed seats for NHL games and capacity for roughly 1,500 additional temporary seats for non-hockey events.
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) April 7, 2024
It would also include a 150,000-square-foot practice facility and team headquarters. pic.twitter.com/OpozXVxKxO
The trouble is, all of this hinges on the idea that the Coyotes win a state-run land auction in June and that auction doesn’t simply rely on the idea that the highest bidder wins. The state also wants to make sure that it sells to the “right” buyer. No one knows if Coyotes management and these plans are considered the best fit for the site. If management is unable to secure the site, it’s very likely that the current owners of the Coyotes will be forced to sell the team to a management group that would relocate it to another city.
Lots to keep an eye on this summer for Coyotes fans and honestly fans of the NHL in general.
San Jose Sharks lines April 7, 2024
On to the hockey side of things, there’s no morning skate for the Sharks since this is the second game of back-to-backs. Expect the Sharks to ice the same lineup as it did on Saturday, considering that the team won. The only change is that Mackenzie Blackwood will likely be in net.
Forwards
Klim Kostin – Mikael Granlund – Fabian Zetterlund
William Eklund – Luke Kunin – Collin Graf
Filip Zadina – Jack Studnicka – Thomas Bordeleau
Jacob MacDonald – Nico Sturm – Justin Bailey
Defensemen
Mario Ferraro – Kyle Burroughs
Henry Thrun – Jan Rutta
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Calen Addison
Goaltenders
Mackenzie Blackwood
Devin Cooley
Arizona Coyotes lines vs. San Jose Sharks
We figure the Coyotes are going with a similar, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it strategy. After all, the team took it to one of the league’s best in the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday. Here’s how the Daily Faceoff reports the Coyotes will line up.
Forwards
Clayton Keller – Nick Bjugstad – Nick Schmaltz
Lawson Crouse – Logan Cooley – Dylan Guenther
Matias Maccelli – Jack McBain – Josh Doan
Liam O’Brien – Alex Kerfoot – Michael Carcone
Defensemen
J.J. Moser – Sean Durzi
Juuso Valimaki – Michael Kesselring
Travis Dermott – Josh Brown
Goaltenders
Connor Ingram
Karel Vejmelka
How to watch Coyotes at Sharks April 7, 2024
Sharks fans can watch the game on NBCSCA or listen through the Sharks app.
Coyotes fans can watch on Scripps.
The game is also available on Hulu and ESPN+, though blackout restrictions might apply.
The puck drops at 3 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MST/6 p.m. ET at SAP Center.
Be sure to come back here at game time to talk about the Sharks, yesterday’s game and much more with other Fear the Fin followers.
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