Arena: Jobing.com Arena
Time: Wed, April 14, 2010 at 10:00 PM ET
League: NHL – United States of America

Last 10 matches: Detroit 8-1-1; Phoenix 5-3-2
Jimmy Howard, Detroit’s rookie goaltender, won all three of his starts in the final week of the regular season and is 13-0-2 in his last 15 games relegating three-time Cup winner Chris Osgood to the bench. …The teams split their four games this season, with each winning once on the other’s home ice. Detroit earned both its victories in regulation, 3-2 at home on Dec. 14 and 4-1 at Phoenix on Jan. 2. The Coyotes won 3-2 in overtime at home on Oct. 22 and 4-3 in OT at Detroit on Jan. 26 a game that saw the Coyotes score twice with a sixth-attacker and again in overtime for the win. The Wings have won both playoff series against the Coyotes’ franchise in six games, beating the Winnipeg Jets in 1996 (Detroit won the last game ever played at the Winnipeg Arena) and the Coyotes two years later.
Its hard to imagine a bigger disparity in playoff experience than this series. The Wings are taking part in their 19th consecutive postseason; the Coyotes are in for the first time since 2002. Detroit’s roster includes a core of players who’ve been part of all four Cup-winners since 1997; the Coyotes’ franchise has never gotten past the second round and GM Don Maloney didn’t hire Dave Tippett as coach until the final week of the preseason. But don’t downplay the Coyotes’ resilience they were fabulous in one-goal games (29-6-7), avoided major losing streaks all season and don’t figure to be cowed by the Wings’ aura of success.
The Wings extended the longest active playoff streak in North American team sports by qualifying for the 19th consecutive season. However, they are without home-ice advantage in the first round for the first time since 1992. … Phoenix set a franchise record with 29 home wins. The Coyotes were also the NHL’s best team in games that were tied after regulation, winning five times in overtime and going 14-6 in shootouts. Highlights, live score and results will be available soon.. stay tuned.