Coyotes one step closer to first division title

Mike Smith finally gave up a goal late in the first period against St. Louis on Friday night, ending what had been a 230-plus minute streak of shutout hockey, but it was the only goal he surrendered in a 4-1 win over the Blues, continuing to do his part to all but carry the Coyotes on his back.

He also had to give the Coyotes a bit of scare in the second period when he was shaken up after getting kicked in the head by his teammate, defenseman Rostislav Klesla. He was down on the ice for a while, but remained in the game and continued to play at what can only be described as a dominant level at this point.

Entering Friday he had not allowed a goal since the second period of Phoenix's game at San Jose on March 24, and stopped 160 consecutive shots before giving up a goal to Patrik Berglund midway through the first period on Friday. Over his past four games, three of which have been shutouts, Smith has stopped 167 of the 168 shots he's faced.

With the win, Phoenix moves ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for first place in the Pacific Division with 95 points as we head into the final day of the 2011-12 regular season on Saturday. The Coyotes also control their own destiny when it comes to potentially clinching the first division title in franchise history. That history, of course, goes all the way back to their days in Winnipeg as the original Jets.

The only hurdle that remains is a game at Minnesota on Saturday evening against a Wild team that has absolutely nothing to play for, other than a positive sendoff for its home crowd, pride, and the opportunity to play the role of spoiler and help decide some seeding in the Western Conference playoff picture. That said, it won't be a slam dunk. Minnesota hasn't exactly thrown in the towel this season and over the past two weeks has won four of its past five games, all of which have been against playoff teams.

If Phoenix is able to win in Minnesota, it will finish as the third seed in the Western Conference and open the playoffs against either Chicago or Detroit, two teams that play each other on Saturday.

A Coyotes win combined with a Blackhawks win in regulation would mean Phoenix would have to open in the first round against the Red Wings for a third straight season. Detroit won the previous two matchups.

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