Nov. 1, 2022 | 7:00 pm MST | Mullett Arena, Tempe, Ariz.
TV: Bally Sports Arizona Extra | Radio: ESPN 620 AM
Tuesday night will be a special one at Mullett Arena.
The Arizona Coyotes will host the Florida Panthers in their annual Hockey Fights Cancer night, kicking off the NHL’s monthlong awareness campaign against the disease.
The Coyotes organization has been heavily impacted by cancer in recent years, losing both Vice President of Hockey Development Matt Shott, as well as nine-year-old Coyotes fan and avid hockey player Leighton Accardo, to the disease.
The team inducted Accardo into its ring of honor in April 2021, and recently announced Shott’s number would hang in all hockey rinks in the state of Arizona.
“Cancer is obviously something that, at some point, it seems like everyone goes through personally, whether it’s yourself, someone you know, family member, friend,” forward Lawson Crouse said. “To be able to play for it and get more awareness out there, it’s a special night for us all.”
Head coach André Tourigny said the ability to use the NHL’s platform to help elevate the fight against cancer is something that’s truly special.
“It’s a great movement, it’s a great job by the NHL, and a great job by every team,” Tourigny said. “Everybody is touched by someone who’s had cancer … We have heard positive news that there’s always improvement in treatment, but at the same time, when you think of people who get the bad luck of getting struck by cancer, you can never make enough effort to help.”
On the ice, Arizona will look to continue its dominant power play, which currently ranks third in the entire league with a 30 percent success rate. The Coyotes have scored nine goals with the man advantage in just eight games, a feat that took 29 games last season.
Crouse notched a power-play goal against the New York Rangers on Sunday, and the 25-year-old now has five points in eight games this season.
“We’re clicking,” he said. “It seems like both units are chipping in whenever they can. We’re getting pucks to the net, I feel like we’re doing a good job of getting possession on the power play, and that’s huge.”
Player to Watch: Forward Nick Ritchie has three goals and two assists in eight games this season, but hasn’t found the scoresheet since recording an assist against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 25. He has three goals in 10 games against the Panthers, though,…
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