Phoenix Coyotes Tickets

Phoenix Coyotes 2010 Playoffs Preview The Phoenix Coyotes finished in second place to the San Jose Sharks in the Pacific Division title race, yet only managed to clinch the fourth seed in the 2010 NHL playoffs.

There's no shame in that considering that the Sharks grabbed the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs for the second straight season.

Phoenix has managed to float under the radar for most of the season because many of their top players are not known as stars around the league. Robert Lang is about the biggest name on the roster, which isn't saying much.

The franchise as a whole has also been in limbo as rumors continue to fly that the team is in financial difficulty and is looking to relocate.

It was a little worrisome the way Phoenix struggled at the end of the season, especially considering they still had a shot to catch the Sharks. It wasn't a situation of complacency because there was nothing left to play for, so you have be slightly concerned about the mindset of the Coyotes coming into the playoffs.

One concern for Phoenix has been their struggles on the power play, which is key come playoff time. Power play opportunities are magnified in the postseason, and teams have to find a way to score when given an advantage.

However, the Coyotes will get to play the first round of the playoffs with home-ice advantage, which is always nice to have.

The Coyotes stand about as good of a chance as anyone else in the wide-open Western Conference. The Sharks are the favorite, but won't be taken seriously until they can prove last year's first-round elimination was a fluke.

Phoenix will have a tough first matchup, though, which makes the road all that more difficult. It will take some outstanding play from the goaltender for this team to make a deep run in the playoffs.