In the last game with the Colorado Avalanche, I felt that if the Coyotes had one more period, they would have picked up the win. After Friday night's game, the Coyotes got their chance.

Early in the game, Josh Gratton takes a tough hit from Antti Laaksonen that caused him to fall awkwardly. Seemingly a clean hit from the side, it was a still a dangerous one that Nick Boynton took exception.

With Boynton's actions, instead of sparking the Coyotes to greatness, it had the opposite effect. Avalanche forward Paul Stastny was called for holding and the Coyotes went on a power play only to have Jordan Leopold return to the lineup and score a short handed goal.

When Steven Reinprecht came back from his broken collarbone, he still looked skittish on the ice. He still made plays and took hits, but there was something else missing from his game. I figured that when he finally scored a goal, his confidence would return and he would finally believe that everything is physically back to normal.

Reinprecht’s last game against his former team the Los Angeles Kings was his best since his injury and tonight he took his game up a notch. When he had the puck, he skated every where with it, he looked sharp, and he started showing his team that he has finally healed.

Reinprecht tied the game at one with 45 seconds to go with his second goal of the season.

Early in the second period, former Phoenix Coyote Ossi Vaananen takes a tripping penalty. Instead of the Coyotes capitalizing on the opportunity, Laaksonen scores his third goal of the season on a short handed goal that gets past goaltender Curtis Joseph.

Almost two minutes later, Brett McLean scores his eighth goal of the year with assists from Laaksonen and Ian Laperriere. Not only will the Avalanche top line pick you apart, but the checking line will pinch in when necessary. The Avalanche led 3-1.

When Owen Nolan was picked up by the Phoenix Coyotes, many around the league thought him to be too old, too washed up, and too damaged to play hockey any longer. Many eyebrows were raised when he signed with the Coyotes and thought he could no longer contribute.

Owen Nolan scores his 12th goal of the season to bring the Coyotes within one. Jeremy Roenick sets up the play with absolutely crushing hit on an Avalanche defenseman. The puck comes loose to Nolan at the back of the Avalanche net. He passes it forward to Boynton who is parked right inside the Avalanche blue line. Boynton drives the puck on to goaltender Peter Budaj. The rebound comes back to Nolan to puts it in to bring the Coyotes within one.

Not to be outdone, late in the second period, Joe Sakic scores to reclaim the two goal lead and the Coyotes trail 4-2.

All-star Yanic Perreault comes through for the Coyotes yet again as he scores an unassisted power play goal and one minute later scores an even strength goal. The Coyotes and the Avalanche were tied at four and the game was not decided in the overtime period.

Ladislav Nagy scores the game winner by shooting stick side against Budaj and Sakic was not able to score in the shootout.

The Coyotes once again never quit and it is the second game in a row where they had to come from behind to notch a victory.

When Josh Gratton is in the lineup, the Coyotes record is 19-9-1. It’s good that Boynton tried to protect him.

On Saturday night, the Pittsburgh Penguins come to Glendale to face the Coyotes. Word is that the game is sold out and the only place to see it is on television. Darren Pang, Todd Walsh, and the producers kept hyping the hockey game ad-nauseam heralding Sidney Crosby as the second coming.

He's a great player – no doubt about it. In fact, I really think he'll shatter Gretzky's records and be good for the game overall. Every time I get to see him on television, I am amazed at what this kid can do at 19-years-old.

However, as the game went on, Pang thought it important to tell us what happened in the Dallas Stars game with Crosby at the switch. He told us the score, told us what happened, and kept imploring us to recognize what a great player Crosby is.

The only problem I had with Pang's non-sexual crush on Crosby was that the Coyotes were playing in front of him!

When heralding greatness, sometimes less is more. The actions will speak for athlete on the ice.

Now, as much as I want to see Crosby play, I hope that the Coyotes beat the Penguins and pick up the two points.

Original post by PB and software by Elliott Back

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