Coyotes win to boost their playoff chances with one week to go

The Arizona Coyotes are still on the outside looking in for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference -- but they put pressure on the team directly in their way with a crucial home victory Sunday.

Josh Archibald scored twice, and Darcy Kuemper earned his second straight home shutout and fifth of the season overall, as the Coyotes blanked the Minnesota Wild 4-0 in front of a sellout crowd at Gila River Arena in Glendale.

The victory moved the Coyotes within one point of the Colorado Avalanche for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. The Avalanche, however, still have four regular-season games to play, while the Coyotes have just three. The Avs defeated the Coyotes 3-2 in a shootout in Denver on Friday night.

Coyotes fans will be pulling for the St. Louis Blues when they host the Avalanche on Monday night. The Blues have won four consecutive home games; their last home loss came against the Coyotes on March 12.

The Coyotes' final three games will be at home vs. the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, at the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday and at home vs. the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. The Kings own the worst record in the Western Conference, while the Knights and Jets are on five- and three-game losing streaks, respectively.

The Coyotes are looking for their first playoff appearance since 2012, when they advanced to the Western Conference Finals.