Coyotes dig themselves into hole, fall short against Maple Leafs: By the numbers

It was all Toronto through the first two periods of Monday’s matchup between the Maple Leafs and Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena. The Leafs took a 3-0 lead into the second intermission, and the Coyotes fought tooth and nail in the third frame to try to even the score up, but their comeback bid fell short.

With their 4-2 loss Monday, the Coyotes dropped to 23-17-9 on the season. Toronto improved to 26-20-5. Phoenix has dropped both matchups with the Maple Leafs this season, the first being a 2-1 shootout loss on the road on Dec. 19.

Here’s a look at the Coyotes’ most recent loss by the numbers:

1

With just over five minutes left in the game, Antoine Vermette scored Phoenix’s first shorthanded goal of the season, assisted by Lauri Korpikoski. Phoenix was the last team in the league to record a shorthanded goal. The goal was Vermette’s 14th of the season.

2

The Coyotes lost both matchups with the Maple Leafs this season. The two teams do not face each other again in 2013-14.

4

Defenseman Keith Yandle picked up an assist on Mike Ribeiro’s third period goal. Yandle has an assist in four straight games, his second-longest streak of the season. He leads the team with 27 helpers. The 8-year veteran was active Monday on the offensive end — five shots on goal — as well as on defense, including a couple saves on an empty net in the last two minutes of the game.

8

The Coyotes scored a power play goal for the eighth straight game thanks to Ribeiro’s wrist shot in the third period. That streak matches a team-high since the franchise moved to the Valley. The franchise record is 14 straight games with a power play goal, which happened in the 1987-88 season.

Phoenix’s home record fell to 14-8-3 with the loss. That record is eerily similar to mark the team had at home over the shortened 2012-13 season: 14-8-2.

9

Korpikoski picked up an assist on each of the Coyotes’ two goals against Toronto, giving him nine on the season — to go with his seven goals.

19

With Monday’s final score, Phoenix has now given up four goals or more in 19 games in 2013-14.

33

The Coyotes entered the game with a chance to claim their third win in a row. It has been 33 straight games since they’ve had a streak of that length. The last time it happened was a five-game winning streak that took place between Oct. 26 and Nov. 5.

Ribeiro’s power play goal was his 33rd point of the season. Yandle picked up an assist in the third period to bring his points total to 33, as well. The two are now tied for third place on the team — behind Radim Vrbata and Martin Hanzal (who sat out Monday’s contest with a lower body injury).

41

Phoenix had a whopping 41 shots on goal — including 15 unsuccessful ones in the second period — compared to Toronto’s 29. Jonathan Bernier saved all but two of those shots for a save percentage of 95.1. Mike Smith allowed four goals and had a save percentage of 86.2.