Tonight the Coyotes (31-24-11) finish off their road trip with a visit to Boston to play the Bruins (43-17-5). While the Bruins are one of the best and deepest teams in the NHL, they are on the second game of a back-to-back (they beat the Canadiens last night) and there is hope the Coyotes can catch a tired team on an off night. Plus, the fact that Chad Johnson will likely man the net instead of Tukka Rask and the way the Coyotes are playing lately, it might <a href="http://www.mms2016.com/"><strong>autographed Evgeni Malkin hockey jersey</strong></a> be a more even match than it first appears. Winners of four of their last five, Phoenix comes into Boston looking to continue their excellent road trip and with the possible reinforcement of a healthy Martin Hanzal. While not well known outside of Arizona, Hanzal is a monster, standing 6'6 and <a href="http://www.mms2016.com/prohtml/-87-Sidney-Crosby-Black-Hockey-Jersey-Pittsburgh-Penguins--p-10130.html"><strong>sidney crosby authentic jersey</strong></a> weighing 240 lbs. He plays the kind of physical game the Coyotes sorely miss when he is injured, which is often. Drafted 17th overall in 2005, Hanzal has had his development stalled over and over again due to injuries, which he has suffered in pretty much every year he's been in the league. If he can stay healthy, he is a prototypical #2 centre in the NHL - providing size, physical play and the ability to score 60-70 points. There is no certainty that he will play tonight, but if he does, he adds a very important element to a team that is already playing well. A healthy Hanzal is key to the playoff aspirations of the club. Martin Erat, a fellow Czech acquired to play with Hanzal, is likely out tonight due to an injury suffered in the first period of Tuesday's game against the Panthers, which the Coyotes won 3-1. The team's great play recently during the absence of Hanzal can be attributed to the resurgence of Mike Smith. He has been one of the best goalies in hockey since the beginning of February, an eleven game stretch where he has two shutouts, a save percentage approaching .940 and an GAA under 2.00. Considering that the Coyotes, with a barely average early season performance from Smith, were still a .500 club coming into February, the play of Smith has propelled them into becoming a more competitive, better all-round team. If Mike Smith can maintain his great play, and if Martin Hanzal returns from injury, suddenly what was a mediocre club is moving up in the world. The combined return to form of two of the team's most talented players is the <a href="http://www.mms2016.com/prohtml/-33-Zdeno-Chara-Black-Hockey-Jersey-Boston-Bruins--p-8907.html "><strong> Zdeno Chara Premier jersey </strong></a> equivalent of actually adding an impact player at the trade deadline, something Don Maloney failed to do. If the Coyotes were nearly a playoff team before, they should be a lock right now - an elite goalie can make that much of a difference. <a href="http://www.mms2016.com/prohtml/-14-Chris-Kunitz-Black-Hockey-Jersey-Pittsburgh-Penguins--p-10059.html "><strong>authentic Chris Kunitz jersey</strong></a> Factor in the loss of kari Lehtonen in Dallas and things are looking for Phoenix. Other lineup changes for tonight include Derek Morris being reinserted after being a healthy scratch last game. Brandon Gormley will sit in his place. I rather like what Gormley has done in limited minutes so far. Of course, I understand that the veteran presence of the solid Morris can only help the team, but I think that at this point in his career, Morris is not as good as Michael Stone, who has played great lately. With Morris out, Stone advanced to the top four and looked good. Obviously, Gormley is a rookie and Morris is the vet, so experience probably makes him the safer play at this time of year, however, if they put Morris back into the top four and play Stone less minutes, I'm not sure they wouldn't just be better off with the rookie. If Morris cedes his top four role to Stone, then I am OK with Gormley waiting until next year for his shot at full time duty, as fun as it is to watch the teams top prospect finally playing in the NHL. As it stands, with Gormley and Connor Murphy both looking like sure fire NHLers next season, as well as the ascension of Stone, Morris is almost sure to play next season in another city, if he doesn't retire altogether. Though, I don't think he'll retire, he's been fairly steady despite being 35. One final note: Keith Yandle will play in his home-town of Boston tonight for only the second time in his career. Yandle, who has 45 points, is having a great season and I think he gets lost in the hype surrounding Ekman-Larsson at times. Often criticized unfairly for his defensive lapses, Yandle is an elite <a href="http://www.mms2016.com/prohtml/-32-Jonathan-Quick-Black-Hockey-Jersey-Los-Angeles-Kings--p-9618.html"><strong>Jonathan Quick black jersey</strong></a> puck moving defenseman who, unfortunately, will most likely have to be traded to acquire a first line forward in the off season. I don't guarantee this, but I would bet money on it. Maybe Boston would be interesting in bringing home the hometown kid and David Krejci sure would look good centering Michael Boedker.........just a thought....PC9527426mms2016.com