The man most directly responsible for leading the Arizona Coyotes to their first and only Western Conference Finals appearance will be out of action until at least mid-February.
Goalie Mike Smith will miss an estimated 8 to 10 weeks of playing time after undergoing successful surgery for a "core muscle injury," the Coyotes reported Tuesday.
Smith has a 10-9-1 record with a 3.06 goals allowed average and .901 save percentage this season. His best season in the Valley came in 2011-12, when he led the Coyotes to their first division championship and allowed just 1.99 goals per game during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Backup goalie Anders Lindback figures to see the majority of action in Smith's absence. Lindback is 4-5-1 with a 2.92 GAA and .900 save percentage this season.
