Going for their first win at Jobing.com Arena, the Phoenix
Coyotes kick off a four-game homestand tonight versus the St. Louis Blues.
The Coyotes began the season with three straight on the road, going 2-1-0.
They then lost their home opener last Saturday to the Blue Jackets for their
second straight loss before rebounding on Monday with a 1-0 shootout victory
in San Jose.
Ilya Bryzgalov made 26 saves in posting his second shutout of the season and
10th of his career. He was also beaten just once in the extra session, but
Peter Mueller and Lauri Korpikoski scored for the Coyotes.
Korpikoski, who had six goals and eight assists in 68 games as a rookie last
year with the Rangers, had the game-winner.
"I watch that stuff pretty close in practice and he's a guy that caught my eye
the first day," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said of Korpikoski. "I've continued
to watch him and he's been very good in the shootout so it's one of those
things you play a hunch and it turned out good for us."
Phoenix hopes to have Matthew Lombardi back for the start of its residency
after the center was scratched on Monday due to a lower-body injury.
The Blues have been out of action since last Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Kings.
Alex Steen had the lone St. Louis goal and Chris Mason made 24 saves, as the
Blues have now lost two in a row since sweeping their season-opening two-game
set with Detroit in Sweden.
St. Louis entered the game 4-for-12 on the power play this year, but went 0-
for-5 versus the Kings.
"I think the biggest thing for us is we have to do what we say," said Mason.
"Everybody knows the right things to say before the games, but we're not
preparing and ready to start the hockey games."
The Blues open a three-game swing tonight, their first road games in the
states. Their only other credited road game came versus the Red Wings in
Stockholm on October 2 and St. Louis went 18-18-5 as the guest last year.
The Blues won all four of their meetings with the Coyotes last year, just one
season after Phoenix swept the four-game set in 2007-08.
Mason allowed just three goals in his three starts versus Phoenix last year,
while Bryzgalov started all four games for the Coyotes and gave up 13 goals.
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