It's nights like last night when you just wish Max Domi and Michael Boedker would hurry up already and develop into 2/3s of a high scoring first line. It might happen as soon as next year, or it might never happen, but we can dream right?

The Coyotes could only manage a single goal, and wasted a fine performance from Mike Smith, losing 2-1 to the Bruins in Boston last night in yet another game where they couldn't provide any offense for their star goalie.

It was unfortunate for the Coyotes to lose, because the Stars were idle and a win would have, at least temporarily, vaulted them into 8th place. The Coyotes got a couple of bad breaks before the game in that Tukka Rask ended up starting for the Bruins, and Martin Hanzal, though he practiced with the team yesterday, was unable to go. It's been a frustrating year (career?) for Hanzal, who just can't seem to put his back troubles to rest. The guy is approximately ten feet tall, so no doubt he is going to probably always be plagued by this, but for as long as I can remember, every time he seems on the verge of becoming the player everyone knows he can be, he goes out for an extended period of time. I am not advocating giving up on Hanzal, only saying that he's a tease and that I wish he'd get healthy.

Anyway, the game got off to a bad start, with Boston going up 1-0 early, though it was no fault of Smith who was screened on the play. Boston dominated the first period and it was really all they needed, as the Coyotes didn't really wake up until the third and by then it was too late.

Overall, the Coyotes were not effective in the first, or even really the second (though they were better in that period) but they came out flying in the third.

The third period saw Rask make a few great saves to preserve the win and if Tippet could get his team to play like that more often, they wouldn't currently be fighting for their playoff lives.

The Coyotes, despite managing only 10 shots in the first two periods, put 12 on net in the third and had several great chances to tie.

A loss is a loss, but this was a good game. The Coyotes went toe-to-toe with one of the NHL's best teams and came away with what amounts to an unlucky loss. The take away from this game should be that they didn't crumble when they got off to a slow start and that Mike Smith is awesome. Well, that and that you should probably have at least one first line forward on your team to compliment your two elite offensive defensemen.

Smith again kept the opposition to under 3 goals and gave his team a chance to win. He has been the NHL's best goalie since the start of February, and despite the math and schedule not being in Phoenix's favor the rest of the way, I believe Smith gives them a great chance to defy the odds and secure 8th. (Of course you can put down as being incredibly biased!!)

The Coyotes return home tomorrow to face the Flames in Phoenix. Interestingly, the Flames also play the Stars tonight, a game in which they hopefully win! The Flames, according to Brian Burke, refuse to tank in order to secure high draft picks and they have been competitive lately, going 5-5 in their last ten games. It's important that the Coyotes do not take them lightly following a match with their polar opposite, the Boston Bruins.

Thanks for reading, as always.

Twitter:coyotes1234

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