For most of the 2016-17 season, the Arizona Coyotes had been among the NHL's worst team in shots on goal allowed.
How the pendulum swung the other way Thursday night.
The Coyotes held the Vancouver Canucks without a shot on goal for nearly the entire first half of the game -- 28 minutes, 12 seconds -- in their 3-0 win at Gila River Arena. The win was the Coyotes' third straight, and it was their first shutout of the season.
The Canucks failed to register a shot on goal in the first period, and they didn't record their first shot until nearly halfway through the second -- via an attempt beyond center ice during a Coyotes power play.
The attempt led to mock cheers from the Canucks fans in attendance.
A SHOT! pic.twitter.com/SP7PQEcNaz
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) January 27, 2017
The Coyotes asked Elias Sports Bureau whether the Canucks' shotless streak to open the game was an NHL record.
The answer to that question is unclear.
"Not a question we can answer," Elias said in an email. "That was only the third zero-shot first period in an NHL game over the last 13 seasons, and the two other games didn't have the team go as far into the second (period) without a shot on goal. For the zero-shot first period games in the years before that, there are no play-by-plays available to determine when the team got its first shot on goal."
In other words, the Canucks' 28:12 without a shot to open the game is an NHL high going back at least 13 years. Beyond that? Who knows.
Despite not having much to do for a large stretch of the game, Coyotes goalie Mike Smith, who will compete in his first All-Star Game on Sunday, said he was in no danger of dozing off.
Heading to his 1st All-Star Game, @ArizonaCoyotes' Mike Smith got a shutout & didn't face a shot for 28 mins. But he managed to stay awake. pic.twitter.com/uSax2TwHs3
— ABC15 Sports (@abc15sports) January 27, 2017>
The Coyotes will look to extend their win streak to four games when they host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.
