Both 10 points back of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference, the Arizona Coyotes and Vancouver Canucks are trying to generate something positive in the final month of their disappointing seasons.
The Coyotes look to avoid a franchise-record 10th straight road defeat Wednesday night against the Canucks, who have lost nine of 11 at home.
"(Arizona has) been right with us the whole year," Vancouver star Daniel Sedin said.
That's not a good thing for two clubs each with 62 points and in position to miss the playoffs.
Times have been particularly rough of late for Arizona (28-32-6), which has dropped eight of nine and has a West-low 14 points since Jan. 13 to drop from sixth in the conference to 11th. The Coyotes have scored 16 goals in their last 11 road games, losing the past nine to equal the record set in 1979-80 when the franchise was in Winnipeg.
''When you're not getting rewarded for your effort that's where the little bit of frustration comes in,'' coach Dave Tippett said.
Arizona felt that was the case Monday despite getting down three goals in a 3-1 loss at Colorado. Players and coaches believe the team skated hard and spirits were high, but the numbers continue to tell a different story.
The Coyotes have yielded an average of 3.7 goals in the last nine games. They've gone 2 for 37 on the power play in the past 10 away from home and totaled three goals in the last three despite averaging 33 shots.
"We're going to have to regroup ... move on," said Antoine Vermette, whose 28 points include just seven on the road - one in his last seven games away from home.
The Coyotes move on possibly without points leader and star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who is day to day with an upper body injury.
Arizona has dropped both home meetings with the Canucks (25-28-12) but won 3-2 in Vancouver on Jan. 4.
Henrik Sedin has a five-game point streak against the Coyotes but could miss a second consecutive game with an upper body injury.
The Canucks are mired in a 5-11-1 stretch and are the lowest-scoring team in the West at 2.35 goals per game. They haven't scored more than two in any of the losses during a 2-8-1 span at home, where they'll try to avoid a fourth straight loss after splitting a two-game trip with Monday's 5-1 defeat at Los Angeles.
"You want to put out a good effort on the ice," said defenseman Dan Hamhuis, who reached the 300-point mark by scoring his only two goals of the season in the last two contests.
"That's how you sleep at night. That's just the professionalism we expect in this dressing room. We need to keep learning and keep building our game."
Ryan Miller has lost three straight starts with a 3.47 goals-against average. However, he's 9-1-0 with a 1.58 GAA against the Coyotes after winning his only game against them this season, making 33 saves in a 2-1 road victory Feb. 10.
Daniel Sedin has three goals and two assists in his last three home games against Arizona.
Shane Doan has four goals in his last four games at Vancouver.
