The National Hockey League lockout lasted 113-days. The NHL canceled 625-games but on Saturday, January 19 the 2012-13 NHL season finally begins. It will be a shorter regular season, 48-games as opposed to the usual 82, but old rivalries continue and new ones take shape.
Though it may sound like hyperbole, the Phoenix Coyotes had their greatest season in 2011-12. For the first time in franchise history they won their division, won a playoff series and in a season of firsts they made an unprecedented run to the Stanley Cup Western Conference finals.
Their Pacific Division rivals, the Dallas Stars, finished the 2011-12 season in 4th place in the Pacific Division and did not qualify for the playoffs. The Stars’ playoff drought goes back to 2008, when they lost to the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference finals.
On Saturday, January 19 the Phoenix Coyotes head to Dallas and open their 2012-13 campaign against the Stars. The puck is scheduled to drop at 6:00 P.M. (MST) at the American Airlines Center.
Dallas Stars
2011-12 record: 42-35-5 (89-points), 4th in the Pacific Division and 10th in the Western Conference
2011-12 Team Leaders
Goals: Michael Ryder (33)
Assists: Loui Eriksson and Mike Ribiero (42)
Points: Loui Eriksson (68)
Wins: Kari Lehtonen (31)
Goals Against Average: Kari Lehtonen (2.23)
Phoenix Coyotes
2011-12 record: 42-27-13 (97-points), 1st in the Pacific Division and 3rd in the Western Conference
2011-12 Team Leaders
Goals: Radim Vrbata (35)
Assists: Ray Whitney (53)
Points: Ray Whitney (77)
Wins: Mike Smith (38)
Goals Against Average: Mike Smith (2.21)
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