Arizona Coyotes (20-35-7) at Boston Bruins (30-22-9), 5:30 p.m. (ET)
(SportsNetwork.com) - Depending on your situation, the Arizona Coyotes' current eight-game losing streak is either very good or very bad for the organization.
One thing that is certain is it's approaching the longest skid in club history and the Coyotes will try to find the win column on Saturday evening against the Boston Bruins.
Not only are the Coyotes on their longest losing streak of the season, but each setback has come in regulation. Having not earned a point since a victory over Chicago on Feb. 9, Arizona now sits only one point ahead of the Edmonton Oilers for 28th place in the NHL standings and four up on the last-place Buffalo Sabres.
Of course, the lower the Coyotes fall in the standings, they better chance they have at landing a top draft pick and a shot at either Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel to build around.
Still, things can't be fun for the players right now, with many left fuming after Thursday's 4-3 setback to the New York Rangers. The Coyotes scored all three of their goals in the first period, but the Blueshirts rallied and got their game-tying goal on a play that just went against the Coyotes.
New York's Chris Kreider tied the contest with just 11.3 seconds left in the second period despite Arizona winning a faceoff in the New York zone. However, Coyotes defenseman Connor Murphy misplayed the puck and Kreider was able to race in on a breakaway, beating goaltender Mike Smith on a second chance shot.
"We continue to shoot ourselves in the foot," said Smith, who smashed and broke his stick on the left post after the goal. "We had a 3-1 lead, at that point in the game it's a 3-2 lead, and it was under a minute left in the period and a faceoff in their end, and somehow they get a breakaway. We continue to make tough decisions at tough times in games and it ends up in the back of the net."
Smith made 34 saves, while Sam Gagner had a pair of power-play goals and Mark Arcobello scored just 41 seconds into the game.
Arizona wraps a four-game swing tonight looking to avoid getting closer to a club record-tying 10-game losing streak last endured from Feb. 6-25, 1994 when the franchise was still located in Winnipeg.
Smith, meanwhile, may be in line for more frustration tonight if he gets the call in net as he owns just a 3-8-0 record lifetime versus the Bruins with a 2.53 goals against average and .911 save percentage in 12 games (10 starts).
The Coyotes have lost five straight to the Bruins, having not won in this series since Oct. 9, 2010 in the Czech Republic.
The Bruins look to continue that trend and pad their advantage for a wild card spot after picking up a 3-2 overtime victory against the New Jersey Devils on Friday night. Ryan Spooner scored with 2:14 left in the extra frame, his first career goal.
Skating during a 4-on-2 rush, Torey Krug brought the puck in down the right wing and left a drop pass for David Pastrnak, who sent the puck over to the left wing where Spooner shot it home for the win.
"I thought it was a pretty good effort," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "Give the guys credit, they found a way to win in overtime."
Boston had lost seven of eight coming in, but increased its lead over the Florida Panthers to four points for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Pastrnak posted a goal and an assist while Daniel Paille also scored for the Bruins. Niklas Svedberg, getting the start as Tuukka Rask is battling an illness, made 29 stops in the win.
Assuming he is over his illness, Rask should start tonight and is 4-1-0 lifetime versus the Coyotes with a 2.00 GAA and .928 save percentage.