The Chicago Blackhawks and the Phoenix Coyotes meet for the second time this season on Thursday, February 7. The Blackhawks knocked off the Coyotes 6-4 on January 20 in their first get together but their second meeting will have a feeling of vengeance permeating through Jobing.com Arena.
Thursday’s affair is the first game that Coyotes forward Raffi Torres has played against Chicago since knocking the Blackhawks Marian Hossa out of the 2012 playoffs.
Torres struck Hossa in the head with an illegal check during Game 3 of the 2012 Stanley Cup quarterfinals. Hossa was taken off the ice on a stretcher and was transported to a local hospital by an ambulance. Later that night he was released from the hospital but did not play for the rest of the season. It was determined that he suffered a concussion from Torres’ check.
"It's a thing you don't forget,” Hossa said in an ESPN report. “Like I said, you know I move the page, and it's another season. I just try to focus on my game.”
"'It's just another game. ... I think it's going to be a normal game. I don't expect anything."
Torres was suspended for 21-games and missed the remainder of the playoffs. He served the rest of his suspension this season and returned to action on February 2 against the Dallas Stars.
Hossa and the Blackhawks will have their hands full as they try to score against Coyotes goalie Mike Smith. The Coyotes are 2-0-1 since Smith returned from injured reserved. In those three-games Smith has allowed 4-goals and has stopped 59 of 63 shots, a .937 save percentage.
Of course the Blackhawks are sitting on top of the world and the Western Conference with a 8-0-2 record. Phoenix has been playing well lately, not as well as Chicago, but their recent surge has lead to points in their last five-games and improved their record to 4-4-2.
On Thursday, February 6 the Phoenix Coyotes will host the Chicago Blackhawks at Jobing.com Arena. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7 p.m. (MT)
Phoenix Coyotes
4-4-2 (10 pts) 3rd in the Pacific Division and 8th in the Western Conference
2012-13 Team Leaders
Points: Radim Vrbata (10)
Goals: Lauri Korpikoski (4)
Assists: Vrbata (7)
Wins: Mike Smith (2)
Goals against average: Chad Johnson (.98 GAA)
Chicago Blackhawks
8-0-2 (18 pts) 1st in the Central Division and 1st in the Western Conference
2012-13 Team Leaders
Points: Patrick Kane (15)
Goals: Marian Hossa (6)
Assists: Patrick Kane (9)
Wins: Corey Crawford (6)
Goals against average: Crawford (1.82 GAA)
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