NHL

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Coyotes overcoming bitter taste of OT loss

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 05/25/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The end of the season hit the Phoenix Coyotes particularly hard.

After scratching and clawing their way deeper into the playoffs than they had ever been, the Coyotes were struck by the did-that-just-happen shock of an overtime goal that simultaneously ended Game 5 of the Western Conference finals and their season.

On the ice and in the locker-room, they were bitter, angry, frustrated; at the officiating, the Los Angeles Kings, themselves.

Two days later, the disappointment was still there, only tempered by the sense of accomplishment.

A first division title in the NHL, three games from the Stanley Cup final, a prospective owner in waiting -- it's hard to stay mad too long after what was easily the best season in franchise history.

"It did sting and it still does a little bit," Coyotes forward Mikkel Boedker said on Thursday as the team held its final meetings and the players cleaned out their lockers. "Looking back, it's obviously not the way you want to end, but looking back at the whole season, it's a story that should be told all the way around."

It was quite a tale.

Picked to finish near the bottom of the Western Conference, the Coyotes played with a prove-everybody-wrong intensity all season.

They overcame a string of injuries and a ruthless schedule the first half of the season with an 11-game winning streak in February that got them back into the playoff picture.

They won the final five games of the regular season to capture their first division title in 33 years as an NHL franchise.

They got past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in 25 years and kept going, knocking off two supposedly superior teams to reach the conference final for the first time.

OK, so maybe it didn't end the way they wanted. Watching Dustin Penner score 17:42 into overtime just seconds after Phoenix defenceman Michal Rozsival limped off following a questionable hit was tough to take.

Still, finishing three wins from reaching the Stanley Cup final with a team that has no superstars, it's hard for these desert underdogs not to feel good about what they accomplished.

"You're going 100 mph and it stops, so that's the frustrating part," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said.

"But as days go by, I think we're going to recognize that this was a pretty special group."

-- The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 25, 2012 C3

Factual inaccuracy? Something missing? Help improve our journalism.

Know about news? Share your story suggestions, photos and video.

Spelling error? Punctuation problem? Send us an email if you’ve found a typo.

More NHL

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

Have Your Say

Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?

Have Your Say

Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.