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GLENDALE Al Woods Jersey , Ariz. — Every NHL team seemingly wanted to face the Arizona Coyotes when the season began. As the schedule winds down, they are the team no playoff contender is eager to go against.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, who have led the Eastern Conference most of the season, discovered that during a 4-1 loss to Arizona on Monday. The Vegas Golden Knights, who have led the Western Conference much of the season, discovered that during a 3-2 loss to Arizona on Wednesday.

The St. Louis Blues, already a loser to Arizona this season, are hoping they don’t meet the same fate as the Lightning and Golden Knights when they play the suddenly dangerous Coyotes on Saturday night at Gila River Arena, in a game critical to St. Louis’ playoff hopes.

The Blues (43-28-6) had won six in a row until losing at Vegas 4-3 in overtime on Friday night, a loss that gained them a valuable point but dropped them a point behind the Anaheim Ducks for the top Western Conference wild card.

Jonathan Marchessault scored twice for Vegas, including the game-winner only 22 seconds into overtime. The Ducks moved past St. Louis, 93 points to 92, by beating the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 in overtime.

Arizona (27-40-11) stumbled during a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday as Jeff Carter scored three goals. It concluded a road trip in which the Coyotes won three of six, but they’re proving to be a very difficult opponent as the playoff races wrap up.

Certainly, much more so than back in October, November and December, when the Coyotes were winless through 11 games (0-10-1) and they won only nine of their first 41.

“Unfortunately, we came up a little bit short (in Los Angeles), but we’ll take the positives and get ready to go for St. Louis John Elway Jersey ,” said left winger Max Domi, who had a goal and an assist against the Kings. “It was a good test for us and a really good learning experience, too, and we’ll take that and move forward. We’ve got four games left and, hopefully, we can make the most of those.”

The Coyotes are 18-13-6 since midseason, and 15-8-2 in their last 25 games. It’s not exactly a Presidents’ Trophy-level pace, but certainly much better than midseason, when they were threatening to put together one of the NHL’s worst seasons in decades.

“I’m proud of this team,” first-year coach Rick Tocchet said. “We had a good road trip and the guys played hard.”

The Coyotes are getting production from Kevin Connauton, who scored in Los Angeles and has three goals in two games, and rookie center Clayton Keller, who had a 10-game scoring streak stopped against the Kings. He has three goals and seven points in his last five games, and 23 goals and 62 points overall.

The Blues beat the Coyotes 3-2 in a shootout on Nov. 9 but lost to them 5-2 on Jan. 20. They had won eight of nine before Friday, including key wins over the Kings and the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Bruins.

“It was a typical Western Conference game, just heavy sticks, just heavy bodies and two teams just slugging it out,” said right winger Chris Thorburn, who scored his first goal with St. Louis.

Of those six consecutive Blues wins Vincent Rey Jersey , four came in overtime, including three in a row from March 17-21 against the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and Bruins.

Brayden Schenn leads them with 65 points, including 26 goals, while Vladimir Tarasenko has a team-high 31 goals to go with 63 points.

Their late-season surge pushed the Blues from 11th place in the Western Conference on March 16 into a wild-card slot, and they now control their own playoff destiny rather than having to rely on other teams.

“Certainly, the picture’s a little bit clearer right now,” Blues coach Mike Yeo said.

However, playing the Knights and Coyotes on back-to-back nights in the desert is proving to be quite a challenge down the stretch. And the Blues’ schedule isn’t easy, with six games in nine days counting the Vegas game, and three more on the road.

St. Louis is 12-9-2 against the Pacific Division.

“What we do beyond this (is) really going to count,” Yeo said.

The retirement of Joe Thomas left a gaping hole at left tackle for the Cleveland Browns.

Left guard Joel Bitonio is willing, but not necessarily eager to succeed his close friend at the position.

"If they want me to do that, like, cool, whatever makes the Browns better," Bitonio said. "But I think left tackle is the toughest spot on the line, and after playing left guard for four years, going on five now Zach Zenner Jersey , it would definitely be different.

"I don't think it's a thing where I have to volunteer for the spot, but if we get down the line and something needs to happen, we'll see what happens there."

Though Bitonio isn't a household name outside of Cleveland, he is one of a handful of known quantities on a team that went winless in 2017 and is 1-31 in two seasons under coach Hue Jackson.

The 6-foot-4, 305-pounder was a second alternate for the Pro Bowl and did not miss a play last year, helping the Browns average 4.46 yards per rush to rank sixth in the NFL.

Offensive line coach Bob Wylie acknowledged that bumping Bitonio, an All-Mountain West left tackle at Nevada, to the outside is tempting, but not palatable because it would simultaneously create a weakness at guard.

"The state of the left tackle is our state of the union," Wylie said. "But (moving Bitonio) is the last option. If you were going to go from A down, that would be Z. That would be Z."

Thomas was the face of the franchise for 11 seasons, earning 10 Pro Bowl selections and playing 10,363 consecutive snaps before suffering a career-ending torn left triceps last Oct. 22 against Tennessee.

Third-year pro Shon Coleman has the first shot to fill his shoes, while second-rounder Austin Corbett and former No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson are in the mix. Coleman was pulled off the field Sunday during practice and received an audible scolding by Jackson.

Center JC Tretter, right guard Kevin Zeitler and Bitonio each expressed hope that one of the top three candidates can win the job and keep their three-man interior unit intact.

"I'm excited to work with them again and, hopefully, be a dominant inside group," said Bitonio, a second-round selection by Cleveland in 2014. "I've become really good friends with JC and Kevin E.J. Gaines Jersey , so we're kind of bonding and I think the sky is the limit. We're continuing to grow together."

Tretter said the uncertainty at left tackle hasn't affected Bitonio during training camp, nor does he expect it to, because he is a "real pro."

Jackson wants to make a decision before the Browns' third preseason game on Aug. 23 against the Eagles, putting Coleman on the hot seat to produce or force the staff to contemplate option Z.

"I know that Joel will do anything for the football team, but hopefully we do not have to go to that," Jackson said. "But if we do, we do. Once we get a feel for what we have there, then as a group we've got to make a decision on how to continue to move forward."

Bitonio is hoping for the best, and hoping to stay where he feels most comfortable. All 47 of his NFL games have been played as a starting left guard.

"Right now, I'm really focused on playing left guard and trying to get whoever is playing next to me ready to play left tackle," he said. "I think anything else is something that's pretty far down the line."

NOTES

Rookie QB Baker Mayfield impressed Jackson with several sharp passes. "Baker is deadly accurate with the ball," the coach said. "He's an outstanding listener who has been everything a quarterback can be for an organization so far." . DE Myles Garrett, the top overall pick in 2017, and RB Duke Johnson were given the day off, along with LB Jamie Collins. WR Corey Coleman also was scheduled to rest, but declined the offer. . Former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel attended the late afternoon practice.

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