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Goalie nods: Smith goes for Coyotes, who worry they’re ‘wasting a tremendous performance’

San Jose Sharks v Arizona Coyotes

GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 07: Goaltender Mike Smith #41 of the Arizona Coyotes during the preseason NHL game against San Jose Sharks at Gila River Arena on October 7, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Sharks 3-1 (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Arizona has not been good this year. The Coyotes head into Wednesday night’s action sitting 29th in the NHL and have given up the seventh-most goals (101) in the league.

Now imagine where they’d be without Mike Smith.

The veteran netminder is having a remarkable season. Despite missing a month of action due to injury, he still sits 21st among all goalies in shots faced this season, with 626.

Now quick, do the math.

Smith has only played in 18 games this year, meaning he’s facing an average of 34.7 per night.

In light of this, his .928 save percentage on the year is pretty special. And that’s on top of one incredible effort -- a franchise-record 58 saves against Columbus earlier this month -- and a 2.65 GAA which is very respectable, given the circumstances.

More on Smith, from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman:

[Shane] Doan (and several of his teammates) were really selling Mike Smith during the team’s trip to Toronto.

“Please talk about what a great year he’s having,” one said. “It’s like we’re wasting a tremendous performance.”

Smith will get another start tonight, when the Coyotes host the Oilers at Gila River. For Edmonton, Cam Talbot is in goal.

Elsewhere...

-- Quiet night in the league, with just one other game on the docket. In Philly, the red-hot Steve Mason will get another start as the Flyers host the Caps. He’ll be up against Braden Holtby, who gets the nod for Washington.