Arizona Coyotes find good morale early into the season

Four times in 11 home games the Arizona Coyotes have measured up against the top teams in the league and have come out ahead.

Tuesday’s 6-3 win against the Colorado Avalanche continued the momentum for a team establishing its home-ice advantage during a rebuild. It was the first meeting between the defending Stanley Cup champions and the Coyotes this season, but it marked the third-straight loss for the Avalanche to the Coyotes.

With six different goal-scorers, the Coyotes got the opportunity to flex their depth while also encouraging back-up goaltender Connor Ingram. He had previously struggled in the third period with a goals against average around 5.5, but changed that with just one goal allowed to Colorado in the third.

“I just think everybody is embracing their role and understanding what they bring to this team,” Coyotes defenseman Troy Stecher said. “Wherever they’re situated in the lineup, there’s been a lot of buy-in from a lot of different guys. You always want to be a part of a hockey team when you have teammates like that.”

Ahead of Thursday’s home game against Toronto, the Coyotes are 12-16-5 with 29 points and sit outside of the bottom five teams in the league. The start is a better place than the team was expected to be at 33 games into the season.

The beginning of the season was unorthodox in many ways, from the team consistently traveling the entire preseason to playing just four of the first 24 games at home. The 14-game road trip is in the rearview mirror, but its lasting impacts have shown in the team’s chemistry.

“I think it was a buildup at first,” Coyotes head coach André Tourigny said. “We had a group that likes each other and to play for each other. They like to be with each other a lot. Our start to the season was a curse, but at the same time was a blessing.”

Growing chemistry has led to improvements for players in different stages of their careers. Second-year defenseman J.J. Moser has shown off great puck movement on the second power-play unit and has surpassed last year’s scoring output already with 16 points.

Rookie Matias Maccelli’s injury was unpleasant news for the thriving line centered by Nick Bjugstad and flanked by Lawson Crouse, but Michael Carcone stepped in seamlessly with a goal in his first game.

Crouse has expanded on last year’s impressive output and leads the team with 14 goals, including a backhanded effort at the net against the Avalanche.

“He is in the zone, he is focused, he’s in control,” Tourigny said. “He has a different demeanor about himself. Him and Bjugstad fit together, they like to play together, they’re good together and play both sides.”

Thursday's game against the Maple Leafs at Mullett Arena will wrap up the season series with the Coyotes taking the first game 4-2 in Toronto. Center William Nylander has tallied seven points in the last five games for the Leafs and has scored a goal in each of the last four games.

NHL fines Maple Leafs $100K for traveling during holiday break

The Maple Leafs have been fined $100,000 by the NHL for violating the collective bargaining agreement by traveling during the league's mandated Christmas break.

The NHL announced the fine Wednesday, saying the Maple Leafs traveled to St. Louis on Dec. 26 for their game the following day against the Blues. The CBA stipulates no team activities are allowed from Dec. 23-26.

According to flight tracking information, the Maple Leafs left Toronto Pearson International Airport at 10:18 p.m. EST Monday and landed in St. Louis at 10:45 p.m. CST.

Teams are usually required to travel the day before a game, but they are allowed to go the day of under special circumstances, including after the Christmas break.

The Philadelphia Flyers were fined an undisclosed amount for a similar violation in 2014.

Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe was also fined $25,000 for what the NHL called “demeaning conduct directed at officials” during the game, which his team won 5-4 in overtime. Keefe could be seen yelling at officials about what he believed to be interference during the third period on the Blues' fourth goal of the game.

—Associated Press

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Coyotes find good morale early into the season